University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld has named Laura McLeran interim vice president for student life. McLeran, senior advisor to the president and associate vice president for external relations, will begin serving on Jan. 1.

McLeran began her career at the UI with the Division of Student Services, now the Division of Student Life, in 1987 and served in a variety of roles and on the leadership team until 2006. In 2003, she began a joint assignment between the Office of the President and the Division of Student Life and moved to the Office of the President permanently in 2006 as the special assistant to the president. She was promoted to director of presidential outreach and events in 2008, to assistant vice president in 2013, and to her current role in 2015. 

McLeran has a long record of service at Iowa. Her current committee work includes the search committee for the vice president for student life, General Charter Review Committee, and Path Forward Engagement Work Group. She also served as the UI’s efficiency program (TIER) representative to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, from 2014 to 2018.

McLeran earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the UI.

The search committee charged with selecting a new vice president for student life decided to adjust the schedule for campus interviews and open forums due to end of the semester responsibilities for both committee members and students. Originally planned for mid-December, the interviews and open forums will now take place in early February. The expanded timeline necessitated the need for an interim leader for the Division of Student Life.

“I am enthusiastic about Laura’s appointment to this leadership role,” says UI President Bruce Harreld. “Her background in student life makes her uniquely qualified to maintain and build upon the forward momentum within the division until a permanent leader is named.”

In October, Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers was named vice president for student life at The Ohio State University, effective Jan. 6, 2020. In order to continue the forward momentum Shivers established within the Division of Student Life, Harreld announced that a search committee would be formed to conduct an internal search for her replacement.

A permanent vice president for student life is expected to be named during the spring 2020 semester.

McLeran’s appointment must be approved by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.