such a position," Brighton said in a recent interview. "This is an institution that is constantly changing and I think that a change in leadership is always a positive thing."
By Lisa M. Rosellini
Public
Information
After eight years as the University's chief academic officer, Provost John A. Brighton will step down on June 30, leaving a legacy of commitment to undergraduate education and a passion for excellence.
As executive vice president and provost since 1991, Brighton is "looking for a change." He has outdistanced many of his counterparts in similar positions in the Big Ten who generally average about 4.5 years in such a post. Brighton will move on to adopt the role of "university professor"-- a position that calls for his hallmark collaboration as he leads a team to investigate ways to improve teaching and learning across the University.
"The provost position is challenging with many responsibilities and eight years is a long time to be in
such a position," Brighton said in a recent interview. "This is an institution that is constantly changing and I think that a change in leadership is always a positive thing."
But those who have worked with Brighton know his retirement from the executive vice president and provost position merely means that he will now focus all of his energy on making undergraduate education at Penn State first-rate and more accessible.
Words like "passionate," "committed," "loyal," "fair,"
"inclusive" and "supportive" are all used to
describe Brighton and the many accomplishments of his term as Penn State's second-in-command.
Well known for his work guiding the University through some tough financial
times in the early 1990s, Brighton is also cited by colleagues for his leadership
in strateegic planning; his steadfast commitment to diversity and creation of
opportunities for women and minorities; his support of the continuous quality
improvement initiative; his dedication to improving education at Penn State;
and his most recent work in implementing the new School of Information Sciences
and Technology, which will open this fall. 
"John Brighton has helped steer this University through many challenges -- reorganizations, cost cutting, expansion and growth and reallocation -- and he has done an exceptional job with each challenge," said President Graham B. Spanier. "He is a committed leader at this institution and a real advocate for our broad mission. He has become especially well known for his commitment to teaching and learning."
Spanier also said Brighton is known for his advancement of diversity. Under Brighton's leadership, Penn State produced its first long-range diversity strategic plan.
"John passionately believes in the purpose and the well-being of Penn State and he puts himself after the University," said Carol Herrmann, senior vice president for administration who has worked closely with Brighton over the years. "Most of us here come from humble backgrounds, and John didn't forget that. He believes passionately in access and opportunity for students."
Brighton graduated from a small high school
in the town of Gosport, Ind. -- population 700 -- where few went on to college.
In fact, Brighton was one of only nine students in his graduating class. He
began college by taking associate degree courses at Purdue University and was
eventually accepted into the bachelor's degree program in mechanical engineering.
When he applied for the master's degree program in mechanical 
engineering,
he recalls his mother couldn't figure out why he would want to continue in school.
"I've always been interested in teaching, research and learning," Brighton said. "Education makes such a difference in people's lives."
After earning his master's and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Purdue, Brighton went on to teach, chair departments and oversee schools at a variety of institutions. In 1988, he returned to Penn State where he had been a faculty member from 1965-1977 to take on the role of dean of the College of Engineering. In 1991, he was tapped to be the right-hand man for Penn State's 15th president Joab Thomas.
"Effective. That is one word that comes
to mind about John Brighton," said Thomas, who served as president from 1990-1995.
"He has an excellent analytical mind and is a strong person, with a gentle touch.
I think that's extremely helpful as a provost because you have a lot of difficult
decisions to make. 
"In some respects, it might be more difficult to be a provost than to be the president," Thomas joked. "I have always admired John's honesty and his strong concern for the human element of the University."
Brighton is only the second individual to hold the title of executive vice president and provost in the University's history. The position, as currently organized, was created in 1983 by then-President Bryce Jordan, who appointed William Richardson as Penn State's first executive vice president and provost. Richardson held the position for five years.
As executive vice president and provost, Brighton is not only the guardian of Penn State's academic mission, but also acts as a surrogate in the president's absence. Over the years, the job has grown and Brighton's charge as the chief academic officer of the University now encompasses not only oversight for all of the colleges, including those at other locations and the Commonwealth College, but also responsibility for enrollment management and administration, University Libraries, educational equity, the Center for Quality and Planning, Faculty Senate liaison, International Programs and all resident instruction. Everyone from five vice provosts to 20 deans to a multitude of directors, and department and unit heads report to John Brighton -- who said the provost's role "was a little more" than he expected.
"It's surprising because usually in a new position you feel overwhelmed in the beginning until it settles down. But as provost, there is always more to do, it never really settles down," Brighton said. "That is just a reality, but I have had good support that has clearly made a difference."
When Brighton came on board, Thomas acknowledged there was some uncertainty about the new provost's ability to take a broad view of such a diverse and expansive institution as Penn State. Having come from the College of Engineering, some were concerned that Brighton might have "tunnel vision" when it came to the other colleges, but within the first year of his tenure, Brighton dispelled any fears about his ability to embrace the entire institution and to tend to all of its needs.
"There may have been concern that a dean of engineering would not be able to understand or be sympathetic to the needs of other areas," said Robert Secor, who in 1991 was chair of the University Faculty Senate. "But a major revelation from John Brighton's tenure has been what an expansive view he does have and how inclusive John has been as provost. He has absolutely been a provost who has worked for faculty in all of the colleges and worked with a very deep commitment."
Now vice provost for academic affairs, Secor reports directly to Brighton and is impressed with his boss's "sense of fairness, integrity, energy and passion for academic excellence."
Susan Welch, dean of the College of the Liberal Arts for the past eight years, agreed that Brighton has always been supportive of deans and has sought their involvement.
"John Brighton has been a powerful voice encouraging attention to issues of teaching and learning," Welch said.
Responsible for getting individual colleges and units to focus on improving the University as a whole, Brighton may have accomplished this early in his tenure when he was named to chair the University's Future Committee in 1992. The Future Committee was responsible for cutting and reallocating $30 million over three years. The early 1990s were a period of cutbacks and lean years.
"He made some hard decisions," Secor said. "It was such a period of financial stress and restrictions and it was difficult to tell people to give back money. But it was definitely through his leadership that we were able as an institution to come through it."
President emeritus Thomas agreed and said it was "largely because of John Brighton's finesse that the whole Future Committee process didn't seem nearly as difficult as it really was."
"It was painful. Anyone who thinks it's easy should try cutting a department budget or telling someone they must give back money," Thomas said. "But John Brighton was able to go through that very trying process and provide the leadership necessary."
By all accounts during those stressful years, Brighton fairly and methodically went through the line items and helped University budget leaders learn how to reinvest their funds. In fact, according to Carol Herrmann, during Brighton's tenure as provost the whole process of recycling money (which continues today), has amounted to about $78 million.
But despite all of the accolades for his work, Brighton remains humble about his position in the history of Penn State.
"We were all just trying to accomplish what was best for the University," Brighton said. "This University has such a great future before it. People here are dedicated to working on the concept of getting better and that dedication is going to have to continue."
Brighton is already grooming his successor, Rodney Erickson, who will take office July 1. Erickson is currently vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School at Penn State.
"I probably don't have to pass on any real advice to Rod, but I guess some overall counsel would be to focus on quality," Brighton said. "It's important in everything we do because the numbers we deal with are large. That is part of the pressure of being big.
"And no one should ever be satisfied with just getting the job done. We can't afford to do that."