UT Tyler Names Barbara Haas New Provost

August 28, 2025 | Beverley Golden

The University of Texas at Tyler has named Dr. Barbara Haas its new provost, which is the university’s chief academic officer. She has served as interim provost since June.

“Dr. Haas is a longtime member of the UT Tyler faculty and most recently served as dean of the School of Nursing,” said UT Tyler President Julie V. Philley, MD. “Throughout the numerous leadership roles she has held in the School of Nursing, her focus has always been the success of the students and the health and well-being of our region. She is a visionary leader, continually innovating how we train future caregivers while responding thoughtfully and proactively to the evolving needs of the community.”

Haas succeeds Dr. Amir Mirmiran who recently transitioned to a new role as the Dean of the Graduate School and Chief Research Officer.

Through her leadership as dean, there has been growth in every aspect of the School of Nursing, which is the third largest in the state. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the School of Nursing boasts excellent student outcomes, faculty scholarship and impact across East Texas.

“I’m grateful and deeply honored to serve as Provost,” Haas said. “I’m excited about the important work ahead of us. My goal is to support our faculty with an emphasis on teaching excellence so that we continue to deliver an exceptional educational experience for our students.”

Haas earned her PhD in nursing from The University of Texas at Austin, master’s in nursing from Marquette University, and bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. A member of the UT Tyler nursing faculty since 1992, Haas has served in multiple leadership roles at the university. Prior to her time in academia, she served as a staff nurse and research RN. Haas has published numerous articles and publications, and she has been awarded multiple grants, including most recently a $2.18 million grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to grow, educate and retain university professional nursing faculty and students.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.