The senior staff provides executive support to the Offices of the Chancellor and Provost. He previously served as its vice-president and associate provost. She was previously provost (chief academic officer) and interim president of Dartmouth College. He is assisted by the Deputy Provost. Originally the Provost was appointed for life. In March 2007, the original provost of the university, Fr. Originally the Board consisted of the Provost and Senior Fellows only. The campus also hosts many lectures as part of the Provost Lecture Series. The first Lord Provost, Robert Whyt, was elected to the post around 1658. Prior to 1975 the town was governed by a council, provost and baillies. The franchise was originally restricted to the Provost, Fellows and Scholars of Trinity College. The body corporate of the college consists of the provost, fellows and scholars. Todd is supported in his capacity as Provost by Claire Leitch, Depute Provost. He served as the provost of MIT from 1985 - 1990. Ancient titles like Provost and Bailie were discarded or retained only for ceremonial purposes.