Associate Provost of Undergraduate Affairs

Reginald A. Wilburn, Ph.D.

The mission of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs is to enhance undergraduate student education and experience. Dr. Wilburn utilizes his collaborative leadership style and experience in strategic planning to strengthen partnerships with Student Affairs, Academic Advising, and Student Access and Accommodation, to help TCU experience even higher levels of student achievement for all students. He collaborates with the Dean of Students, academic deans, department chairs, Faculty Senate, Undergraduate Council, and the Provost’s Council to support high-quality, innovative undergraduate programs.

Dr. Wilburn focuses on three strategic initiatives: champion undergraduate student success; support undergraduate education for the future, and support innovative advising platforms and protocols. He also examines the undergraduate student population that TCU aspires to educate and the efficacy of traditional and non-traditional models of education.

Dr. Wilburn’s accomplishments include visionary strategic planning, transparent decision-making, and shared governance. As a teacher and administrator, he has inspired collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and alumni to focus on student retention, signature program development, faculty development, enrollment management, academic standards, and curriculum development, enrichment and management. He monitors the test-optional pilot program to assess its impact on students’ academic performance and success across multiple demographic populations. He updates Academic Affairs on new state and federal Title IX legislation governing the academic rights and entitlements of expectant parents to include post-natal concerns. And he serves as advisor for the Black Student Association and on the organizational leadership team for Brothers Reaching Brothers professional affinity group.

Dr. Wilburn joined TCU as dean of the former School of Interdisciplinary Studies after serving at the University of New Hampshire from 2007 to 2021 as professor of African-American Literature and Milton Studies and Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts.  At UNH he was honored with the Faculty Award for Social Justice, Center for Humanities Faculty Fellowship, Leadership Fellow for the AGB Institute for Leadership and Governance in Higher Education, and President’s Commission on the Status of Women Faculty Award. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in English from the University of Connecticut, and B.A. in English from the University of the District of Columbia.

Reporting Units

University Life
Introduction to University Life is an one-hour elective course that helps new students successfully transition into the TCU academic community and begin to reflect holistically upon their college life. Topics include the purpose of higher education, cultivating habits of college-level thinking and learning, managing time and stress, exploring campus resources, setting learning goals, academic and personal integrity, and living and learning in a diverse, inclusive community. Attached is a brief overview of the course with additional details.

STEM Scholars
The STEM Scholar program provides full four-year scholarships for academic support and leadership development designed to increase the numbers of academically talented students who show a commitment to using STEM education to support underserved communities. These impressive students positively impact the strength and vitality of the TCU community through their academic achievements, community involvement and commitment to the greater good.

Equitable Student Success Advisory Board
Established in 2023, the board is comprised of faculty and staff from each college and school to review data on student performance, participation and perception to identify gaps and discern how best to mitigate and eliminate those gaps. Projects include 98% compliance in submission of unsatisfactory grades each semester; providing all students digital copies of syllabi; seeking D2L compliance of all faculty for all courses; and establishing a reasonable and fair turnaround time for graded assignments.