text: what is a provost?   a provost is the holder of various important jobs including:  * formerly the head priest in an anglican cathedral when it had parishional responsibilities;  * the chief academic officer at various universities in north america;  * an officer of local government including the scottish equivalent of a mayor - the lord provost is the scottish equivalent of lord mayor in edinburgh, glasgow, aberdeen and dundee;  * provost marshal, the officer in charge of military police;  * provost sergeant, a sergeant in charge of regimental police in the british and commonwealth armies;  * the administrator of a prison   *