Brian Foster is stepping down as provost of the University.
At the end of the semester he will be returning to faculty status, and Reed Dasenbrock, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will take his place as interim director for the 2005-2006 academic year.
Although it had not been formally announced, Dasenbrock said he was told in the last few days he will be the interim provost.
Foster, who has been the executive vice president for academic affairs for the last five years, said he stepped down because it's time to do something else.
He said most provosts average three-and-a-half years.
"It's a busy job," he said. "Things all have their time."
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He said he plans on teaching and doing research in the Department of Anthropology in the fall.
Foster said he is not sure if he will step down at the end of the semester or at the end of the fiscal year. The fiscal year ends June 30.
When asked if his resignation had anything to do with tension with UNM President Louis Caldera, he said, "Let's just say things come to their natural end. I'm all tired out and ready to do something else."
Caldera issued a written statement Tuesday night saying he accepted Foster's decision to step down.
"Brian Foster's leadership has meant a great deal to the University of New Mexico these past five years," he said in the statement. "UNM's rise in national stature has been due in no small part to his efforts."
As provost, he has worked on getting UNM's branch campuses integrated with the main campus, improving freshman retention and hiring a superb set of deans, Foster said.
Caldera said there will be a national search for a provost in the fall.
"In the meantime, I look forward to working with Dr. Dasenbrock to maintain our forward momentum and set new goals for academic excellence at UNM," he said in the statement.
Dasenbrock interviewed as a finalist for a provost position at the University of Houston on Feb. 15.
When asked if he withdrew from the application process because he received the interim position at UNM, Dasenbrock said he had decided UNM was a better for him than the University of Houston.
"This was the right fit for me," he said. "That's all I want to say about that."
He said it's common for the dean of Arts and Sciences to be promoted to the provost position.
"The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest across the University," he said. "My responsibilities are closest to that of the provost than other deans."
Dasenbrock appointed Vera Norwood, the associate dean of Arts and Sciences, as the interim dean of Arts and Sciences.
He said Norwood will be the first woman to be the dean of Arts and Sciences.
