The UTD Mercury

Media Credit: Eric Nicholson Jody (left) and Robert Nelsen (right) enjoy a party in their honor on July 30.

Most vice provosts don't ride a motorcycle to work. Most have never made a student quack like a duck in class just to prove a point. Most will never pursue a career in amateur rodeo.

Robert Nelsen is not your typical vice provost.

Affectionately dubbed the "man in black," few people, if any, ever saw Robert Nelsen don another color during his 18 years at UTD. After Aug. 29, they probably won't get another chance.

Nelsen has resigned as vice provost following the departure of his wife, Jody. She left her position as associate vice president of business affairs earlier in the month to begin her new job as executive vice president of finance and administration at Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Aug. 4. Robert will join her there as vice president for Academic Affairs on Sept. 2.

"I am proud and honored to have worked with them both," said UTD President David Daniel. "It's a tremendous loss for us, but I know they are going to go on to do great things."

Robert Nelsen arrived at UTD as an associate professor of literary studies in 1990, the first year freshmen were admitted to UTD.

"When I came here, I was blown away by the possibility of the institution and the quality of the faculty," Nelsen said. "They made it very clear from the start that I could be innovative in my approach to teaching."

Since then, Nelsen has taken full advantage of this freedom, particularly in the development of the Arts and Humanities program. At a university best known for engineering and computer science, he built a creative writing program from scratch, oversaw the dramatic growth of UTD's literary magazine Sojourn and helped establish a well-rounded undergraduate curriculum.

"UTD should never try to be a comprehensive university," Nelsen said. "But, you need culture. You need to be able to think creatively. It was the real nerds who have always played the violin."

As professor of "Exploration of the Arts," he taught hundreds of freshman during his years at UTD.

"He was really good at drawing you out of your everyday experience," said Erin Dougherty, director of alumni relations and Nelsen's former student. "He was one of those professors who really made you think about the world differently."

Nelsen was adamant students participate fully in their education.

"Learning shouldn't be passive," he said. "You have to involve students in a conversation if they're going to learn from you, and I'll do just about anything to get them engaged."

That has included everything from having nude models pose for introductory art classes to sitting on students' laps, Nelson said.

"I have definitely thrown more than my share of erasers," Nelsen said.

His unique approach has won wide admiration from students and peers. He was elected five times to be head of the Academic Senate by UTD faculty. He was the chair and faculty liaison for the lengthy SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) reaccreditation process. In 2005, he was awarded the Chancellor's Council Award for Outstanding Teaching, the accomplishment of which he said he is most proud.

In 2006, Nelsen took the post as associate provost, having refused the position on five previous occasions, said Executive Vice President and Provost Hobson Wildenthal. The sixth time Wildenthal didn't even ask, he said. "You start Monday," he told Nelsen, and the matter was settled.

On Aug. 11, Daniel announced the endowment of two $25,000 scholarships in their honor. The Joellyn (Jody) Nelson Staff Council Scholarship will be awarded annually to staff members who attend classes at UTD; the Robert S. Nelsen Scholarship for Creative Writing will be given to students who pursue the subject.

"For nearly 20 years, he has been the heart and soul of this faculty," Wildenthal said. "He's someone whose selflessness, high character and concern for students has meant an incredible amount to this university."

Nelsen said he wishes to be remembered fondly, but added he would also like people to recall a challenge he issued in 2005. During his acceptance speech for the Chancellor's Council award, he thrust a white shirt above his head and addressed the crowd of students, administrators and fellow professors.

"As soon as you people change the world," he told them, "I will wear this."

For the time being, at least, he's still wearing black.

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