Associate Provost Stephen Yoder will retire Oct. 1 after 14 years with UAB. Stephen Yoder, associate provost of Academic Administration, has announced he will retire, effective Oct. 1, after 27 years in Birmingham — more than 14 of those at UAB. While here, Yoder served as associate provost and as assistant professor and honors program director in the UAB Collat School of Business.
Yoder’s leadership at UAB has been recognized with the Odessa Woolfolk Community Service Award and the Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Service Learning, Undergraduate Research and Education Abroad.
Senior Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit says Yoder leads by example.
“Steve has been at the heart of the work of the provost’s office,” Benoit said. “He is a determined servant leader who takes initiative to address policy issues and has been willing to adapt to different roles as needed. He has engaged others by focusing on professional development and problem solving with improvement in morale and teamwork. He has the ability both to think strategically and work through all the necessary technical details.”
During his tenure, Yoder made significant contributions that advanced strategic initiatives including the faculty practice plan, Blazer Core and prior learning; developed and implemented a leadership workshop series; served as a liaison to the Faculty Senate; served as a liaison to deans and chairs; managed faculty matters including grievances, complaints, promotion and tenure issues plus faculty relations; managed Office of the Provost staff; and accepted new oversight responsibilities with the Center for Teaching and Learning, Writing Center, Service Learning and Undergraduate Research, Faculty Affairs and National and International Fellowships and Scholarships.
“I will always be grateful to the various people at UAB who took a chance on me for my academic career, considering I had only business experience before I arrived,” Yoder said. “My life has been so much richer for the experience.”
Paul Erwin, dean of the School of Public Health, said, “Steve has been my most frequent go-to person in the Office of the Provost when I have a problem or a question or need advice. His wise counsel has been enormously helpful, especially in learning systems, policies and procedures at UAB. He will be missed greatly, and I can only wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Yoder regularly engaged with the Birmingham community, serving in leadership positions in the Vulcan Park Foundation, Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham, United Way of Central Alabama, EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, UAB Callahan Eye Hospital and Railroad Park Foundation.
Yoder continued his passion for teaching in the Collat School of Business while associate provost. He hopes to continue to teach on a part-time basis.
Yoder earned an A.B. degree from Duke University in political science and a J.D. degree from the Northwestern University School of Law. Before joining UAB in 2008, Yoder had an extensive background working in financial services, including as a partner at Balch & Bingham LLP; senior vice president, executive vice president and general counsel at AM/South Bank; assistant general counsel at Mellon Bank; and associate and partner at Reed Smith LLP.
Benoit will assess the structure of the Office of the Provost before initiating a search.
