The research office will report to the University’s chief academic officer when GW’s first research vice president steps down, according to a University release Thursday.

The Office of the Vice President for Research, which previously reported to University President Thomas LeBlanc, will report to Provost Forrest Maltzman beginning July 1 – the same day that Vice President for Research Leo Chalupa will step down. The change comes amid an increased focus on improving GW’s global research standing – a top priority for LeBlanc during his first year in office.

LeBlanc said GW has researchers operating in disciplines across the University and this reporting change would better align academics and research.

“A closer alignment between education and research is critical for fulfilling our mission,” LeBlanc said in the release.

Officials will launch an internal search to find a new vice president for research, according to the release. Chalupa announced last month that he would resign from his post as the University’s first research head July 1 after nine years in the position. During his tenure, Chalupa was a key figure in the effort to raise the University’s research profile, improving GW’s research ranking and bringing in more federal funding.

LeBlanc has focused on research this year, announcing in January that a faculty research fund had been fully restored after being hit with budget cuts.

The next month, Maltzman and Chalupa introduced a new task force to examine faculty concerns about the state of research at GW. In previous years, professors complained that high staff turnover in the research office hurt their chances for grants.

“This reporting structure is aimed at advancing the University’s strategic mission of enhancing the relationship between academic and research enterprises and strengthening support for principal investigators,” Maltzman said in the release.