The University of Texas at Austin has appointed David Platt as the inaugural vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs. Platt currently serves as the associate dean for undergraduate programs in the McCombs School of Business. His appointment begins Aug. 15.
“The combination of David’s extensive knowledge of the undergraduate curriculum at UT Austin and his understanding of the colleges and schools across campus make him uniquely suited for this new position. I am confident we have chosen a tremendous colleague and leader in David, and I look forward to working with him and others on campus to advance curricular needs at the undergraduate level,” said Maurie McInnis, executive vice president and provost.
In this newly created role, Platt will partner with stakeholders on campus and advise university leadership as they work to enhance the campus-wide vision for undergraduate education. He will work with the campus to promote and support curricular efforts that span colleges and schools, lead efforts to broaden educational innovation and enhance off-campus experiences.
Platt has been a committed faculty member of the UT community since 1996. His primary teaching and publication interests focus around organizational performance management and the measurement of the cost of goods and services in decision making. During his time at the McCombs School of Business, he led efforts to develop and shape the highly successful Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Canfield Business Honors programs. From 2001 to 2012, he directed UT Austin’s Center for International Business Education and Research and served as chairman of the Partnership in International Management.
During his tenure as associate dean, a few of his team’s key contributions include collaboration in a variety of cross-college initiatives, including:
- Joint programs with computer science, international relations, and communication.
- Cross-college minors and certificates in a variety of fields including global management, entrepreneurship, energy management, and real estate.
- Collaboration with faculty in and out of McCombs to develop BBA curriculum improvements aimed at increasing the analytical rigor of the program.
“After working for many years with our undergraduates in the McCombs School of Business, I am excited to now work on behalf of all UT Austin undergraduates. I look forward to doing whatever is necessary to allow UT’s colleges and schools to offer the most innovative and effective undergraduate programs possible, and to further build UT’s reputation as one of the best places to study and learn in the nation,” said Platt.
Platt earned an undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s in business administration in marketing from Syracuse University, and a doctoral degree in accounting from Cornell University. He holds both the Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant designations. Prior to joining UT Austin, he worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Raymond Corporation.