:: Office of the Provost ::

Biography
Dr. Robert D. Koob
Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs
California Polytechnic State University

Robert D. Koob, who served as Cal Poly’s senior vice president and vice president for academic affairs from 1990 to 1995, was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs, effective Oct. 6, 2008, on a term appointment of up to two years.

Dr. Koob began his career in education teaching high school science and mathematics. He received a B.A. in Education from the University of Northern Iowa and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Kansas. He also holds an honorary doctorate from Allen College.

Prior to his tenure at Cal Poly, Provost Koob had a distinguished career at North Dakota State University, where he served in a number of senior positions, including vice president for academic affairs and interim president. 

In 1995, Koob returned to his undergraduate alma mater, University of Northern Iowa (UNI), to serve as President. During his time there, UNI’s endowment grew by more than 100 percent and  federal support increased seven-fold.  Enrollment and the number of graduates reached record levels.

Additionally, under his leadership UNI increased the number of scholarships funded by private sources by over 75 percent, and the university had more students benefit from international experience than any other master’s-level university in the United States.
Provost Koob’s extensive public service includes serving on and chairing numerous councils and commissions in Iowa – from the United Way and the Economic Development Corporation in Cedar Valley to the statewide Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce and the IowAccess Steering Committee.

In 2006, he retired from UNI and returned to the Central Coast. He and his wife, Yvonne, have seven children and eleven grandchildren.