Meet the Provost
Dr. Robert T. Burrus Jr. was named the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in April 2026 following his service as interim provost. The division houses five academic colleges, seven functional areas, the Center for Marine Science, and a divisional operations wing. More than 1,300 faculty and staff members are employed within the division.
A member of the UNCW faculty since 1998, Dr. Burrus served as dean of the Cameron School of Business from 2015-2025 and one year as interim dean. As a faculty member, he published more than 35 refereed journal articles and received the UNCW Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award and multiple Impact Professor awards. In addition, he served the profession in numerous leadership roles with the Academy of Economics and Finance, including president.
As dean, Dr. Burrus was consistently named to the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Biz 100. He has held multiple leadership roles at UNCW, including chair of the Department of Economics and Finance and associate dean for undergraduate programs and assessment. Under his leadership, the Cameron School grew in student, faculty and staff numbers and has had three successful accreditation reviews.
A native of Kinston, NC, Dr. Burrus holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics (University of Virginia), and a B.S. in Mathematical Economics (Wake Forest University). He is a professor in the Department of Economics and Finance at UNCW. In 2024, he completed the UNC System’s Executive Leadership Program.