Sierra Nevada University (SNU), located in Incline Village, Nevada near the shores of Lake Tahoe, is set to be acquired by the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). SNU and UNR have informed the U.S. Department of Education that the change of ownership will occur on July 1, 2022.

While SNU works through the process of approvals necessary to join the UNR family, SNU operations are being managed by an Executive Transition Office jointly led by Jill Heaton, UNR’s senior vice provost and SNU’s executive vice president and provost, and Sue Johnson, SNU’s executive vice president of finance and administration. 

Newest addition to the Lake Tahoe team, Douglas Boyle, professor and outgoing department chair in the Department of Geography at UNR, has been named Associate Vice Provost for Research and Creative Activities for the new site. Boyle will assist in building the research and creative opportunities for faculty and students in Incline Village.

"I am very pleased to be entering this position at this time," Boyle said. "I plan to visit with as many people as I can in the next few months and become acquainted with their work and the beautiful Lake Tahoe site. It's important to me to have a personal connection with this community."  

In Boyle’s new role, he will help find creative ways to fulfill the land-grant mission of UNR with the addition of the Lake Tahoe site. He will support faculty, staff and students in their effort to communicate their work, find and secure external funding, partner with collaborators and broaden their impact. He will work with individuals and interdisciplinary teams to develop and expand the relevance of their research and creative activities to and connections with state and federal governments, industry, foundations and non-profit organizations.  

“Doug has an outstanding record of scholarly research and teaching," Heaton said. "He is eager to work with University faculty, staff, and students and with stakeholders throughout Nevada to fulfill our mission of outreach and engagement. His leadership will aid in navigating our institutional commitment to tackle the complex and rapidly changing economic, environmental, and social challenges facing humanity today. I hope the community joins me in congratulating Doug as he assumes this new position and critical leadership role." 

Boyle is the former Nevada State Climatologist and the former Director of the Nevada Water Resources Research Institute. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, NASA, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and many other governmental agencies.  

“Many opportunities exist for the University of Nevada, Reno to expand its breadth and depth of academic programs, research, scholarly, creative, entrepreneurial activities and community engagement that, with the Lake Tahoe site, will attract additional students and faculty to Nevada and beyond,” Boyle said.