October 26, 2026

SALT LAKE CITY — Westminster University is pleased to announce that Lance Newman, PhD, has been named provost of the university. Newman will officially begin his new role on November 1, 2026, transitioning from his current role as Westminster’s interim provost.

Lance Newman joined Westminster's English department (now Literature, Media, and Writing) in 2008. In 2013, he was appointed associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, then served as dean from 2015 to 2023. During his time as dean, Newman led Westminster's reaccreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), facilitated academic adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic, participated in the university's strategic positioning process, developed an Art & Sciences DEI strategic plan, guided implementation of WCore—the university's general studies curriculum, oversaw the construction of Gillmor Hall, created partnerships with Round River Conservation Studies and Utah Humanities, and mapped transfer pathways from Salt Lake Community College to Westminster University.

Newman’s work has earned him recognition at Westminster University and beyond. He was named as the Westminster University Professor of the Year by the Associated Students of Westminster (ASW) and earned the Manford and June Shaw Faculty Publication Prize for his publication, “Free Soil and the Abolitionist Forests of Frederick Douglass’s ‘The Heroic Slave” in American Literature.

“I am honored to work alongside Westminster University’s next provost, Dr. Lance Newman,” said Dr. Sylvia Torti, president of Westminster University. “Dr. Newman has a demonstrated record of advancing student success, expanding liberal arts curriculum, and positioning the college for success through collaboration and strategic planning.”

Newman holds a PhD in English from Brown University, an MA in English from Brown University, and a BA in English from the New College of Florida. Prior to his experience at Westminster University, Newman taught at Brown University, State University of West Georgia, and California State University San Marcos—where he also served as director of the university’s special major program.

“I look forward to continuing my work in this new role,” said Dr. Newman. “Westminster University is a place where students thrive through the support of dedicated faculty and staff, and I am eager to work with President Torti in cultivating an environment that ensures that students will succeed for years to come.”

About Westminster University

Westminster University is a private, independent, nonprofit university located in Salt Lake City, Utah offering a transformative education that empowers students to thrive in an ever-changing world. Westminster students craft their own pathways to knowledge, applying their learning in real-world contexts. Wellness is integrated throughout the university experience, ensuring that all students have access to the resources and support they need to thrive. Westminster’s charming campus in Salt Lake City’s eclectic Sugar House neighborhood minutes away from the Wasatch Mountains fosters unique opportunities for students to connect with nature and engage in Utah’s booming economy. As part of its commitment to innovation, Westminster continues to diversify its academic programs to align with students’ passions and emerging industries. For more information, visit westminsteru.edu.

About Dr. Lance Newman

Newman holds a doctorate in English from Brown University and is the author of The Literary Heritage of the Environmental Justice Movement: Landscapes of Revolution in Transatlantic Romanticism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) and Our Common Dwelling: Henry Thoreau, Transcendentalism, and the Class Politics of Nature (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005). He is the editor of The Grand Canyon Reader (University of California Press, 2011), and co-editor with Joel Pace and Chris Koenig-Woodyard of Transatlantic Romanticism: An Anthology of British, American, and Canadian Literature, 1767-1867 (Longman, 2006), and Sullen Fires Across the Atlantic: Essays in Transatlantic Romanticism (Romantic Circles, 2006). He is also co-editor with William Cain and Hilary Wyss of the second edition of American Literature (Penguin Academics, 2012). Newman’s scholarly articles have appeared in American Literature, New England Quarterly, ISLE, Reconstruction, Electronic Book Review, and other journals.

Newman's poems have appeared in literary magazines in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. He has published one full-length collection of poems, Proverbs of Earth (Spuyten Duyvil, 2025) and three chapbooks, Satellite View (Finishing Line, 2025), Come Kanab (Dusie Kollectiv, 2007) and 3by3by3 (Beard of Bees, 2010).

Lance Newman headshot