Elizabeth D. Capaldi
Executive Vice President and Provost of the University
Elizabeth D. “Betty” Capaldi became the University Provost and Executive Vice President at Arizona State University in July 2006. As ASU’s chief academic officer, Dr. Capaldi provides leadership to all of the university's campuses and academic programs, fostering excellence in teaching, research and service to the community. She guides the university’s mission in providing educational excellence and access, and directs the university’s efforts in strategic redesign of its academic mission to achieve the vision of The New American University. She also represents the university to external agencies and constituencies and engages in ASU's fundraising initiatives.
Prior to her arrival at ASU, Dr. Capaldi served as the Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff of The State University of New York. She assumed the position in December 2003. Her responsibilities included strategic planning, coordination of the activities of the vice chancellors to build quality in the 64 campuses of the State University of New York and service as the main liaison between system administration and the campuses. She was officer in charge in the Chancellor’s absence.
Dr. Capaldi served as Provost and Professor of Psychology at the University at Buffalo, SUNY prior to moving to Albany. As provost she was dedicated to supporting research at the university and translation of that research into economic development for Buffalo. During her tenure the Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach was created at UB, and sponsored research at UB increased substantially. Of particular note was her work in obtaining $61 million in state funds, $20 million in federal funds and over $150 million in corporate and foundation support for a center of excellence in bioinformatics. The financial condition of the university was also stabilized, allowing increasing scholarship support for students, which improved both the quality and the diversity of the student body.
Born in New York City, she received her bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester in 1965, and her Ph.D. degree in experimental psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969. She has contributed over 65 chapters and articles to the scientific literature, co-authored three editions of an introductory psychology textbook, and edited two books on the psychology of eating.
She came to the University at Buffalo, SUNY from the University of Florida where she served as Provost and Professor of Psychology. At Florida she also played a key role in improving sponsored research and technology transfer, and was instrumental in a new student advising system which has been responsible for dramatic improvements in graduation rates at the University of Florida. She previously held an appointment on the faculty at Purdue University. She also played a leadership role on that campus, serving as head of Purdue’s Department of Psychological Sciences and Assistant Dean of Purdue's Graduate School.
Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles and participated extensively in the activities of national professional societies. She is Past President of the American Psychological Society (2000-2001) and of the Midwestern Psychological Association (1991). In recognition of her work, Dr. Capaldi has been elected to Fellow Status in the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her other honors and awards include election to the Friends of Students Hall of Fame at the University of Florida in 2000, and the Citizen of the Year award from the New York State Society of Professional Engineers in 2003.