Now a professor of natural resources at the university, Nielsen documents his tenure as provost at North Carolina State U. and shares what he learned in the position. He begins with the story of becoming interim provost and his resignation four years later, then explains what the job entails, including its daily schedule; dealing with budgets, working with the university's chief financial officer, and strategic planning; academic aspects like working with student-athletes, being a champion for students, and academic support services; facilities management; faculty and tenure issues; working with people; and other responsibilities. He then details his life as an ex-provost, provides a review of literature on the job, and offers advice for becoming a provost. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)