Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Lester P. Monts came to the University of Michigan from the University of California -- Santa Barbara in 1993 to assume the position of Vice Provost for Academic and Multicultural Affairs1 and a professor of music. In 1998, he became Associate Provost for Academic and Multicultural Affairs, a position that was retitled Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in 2001. He held this position until 2014, when he returned to the School of Music as a full-time faculty member. In 2002, he was appointed to serve as senior counselor to the president for the arts, diversity and undergraduate affairs.

As Senior Vice Provost, Monts established awards honoring contributions to diversity, including the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award, the Shirley Verrett Award, and the Percy Bates/Don Deskins Award for Academic and Athletic Excellence. He also established several centers and programs, including the Center for Educational Outreach (CEO), the Center for World Performance Studies, Global Intercultural Experiences for Undergraduates (GIEU), the Council on Global Engagement, the Office of New Student Programs (ONSP), the National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID), and the Confucius Institute.

In his roles as Associate and then Senior Vice Provost, Monts was involved with faculty tenure and promotion review, enrollment management, fiscal operations, undergraduate affairs, and diversity affairs. Units reporting to him included: the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Financial Aid, Office of the Registrar, Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, Office of Examinations and Evaluations, Office of New Student Programs, Arts at Michigan, Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, and the ROTC programs. Other units that reported to the Senior Vice Provost at various times included the Center for Educational Outreach, the Detroit Center, the National Center for Institutional Diversity, the Arts Consortium, the Confucius Institute, and Institutional Equity.

Monts also served on the board of trustees for both Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Inc. and the University Musical Society. In 2005 he was appointed a Thurnau professor. Academically, Monts is a leading scholar on the music and culture of the Guinea coast region of West Africa, focusing his research on the Vai people of Liberia. He has received honorary professorships from six Chinese universities and in 2010 was inducted into the Hall of Distinction as a Distinguished Alumnus at Arkansas Tech, his alma mater.

Records from Monts in the Staff Files were accessioned as part of other Provost's Office transfers. The majority of the records were created after his appointment as Associate Provost in 1998, with a few exceptions. Researchers using the Monts files may also want to consult the Vice President for Academic and Multicultural Affairs (VPAMA) records collection, which contains documentation on Monts' service in this position as well as some records as Associate Provost which overlap with materials found in the Provost's Office Staff Files. The series measures 43 linear feet.

Lester Monts files consist of seven series: Office of the Associate Provost Files, General Files, Unit Files, Budget Files, Chronological Files, Committees, and Awards. The arrangement reflects the original organization of the records when accessioned. While there are some records from Monts' service as Vice Provost, the bulk of the records date after 1998, when he became Associate Provost.