Lawrence (Larry) Abele’s experience includes service as a department chair (nine years, biological science), Dean of Arts and Sciences (three years), and Provost (16 years). Since 1994 he has directed and continues to direct the Institute for Academic Leadership providing training for department chairs from throughout the State University System of Florida. He has served on many national boards, such as the Voluntary System of Accountability, APLU, and the Council of Academic Affairs as well as on NSF panels.
He was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1986 and in 2009 he received the Pacesetter Award, honoring those who have made a significant contribution to student advising.
While Provost he focused on improving retention and graduation rates and reached these conclusions. Retention and graduation rates can be increased with strong commitment, data-driven actions and focused attention to details built around the Complete College America’s Game Changers. These efforts contributed to an increase in first to second year retention rate of 10% to 92%, the four-year graduation rate increased 17% to 61.2% and the six-year rate increased to 79%. The increase in retention yielded new tuition revenues of over $6 million fully covering the costs of adding new academic advisors and coaching.