The provost and executive vice president of UConn is stepping down after six years.
Dr. Peter Nicholls will step down from the position on May 31, but stay on as a faculty member, according to a letter from UConn President Susan Herbst that is posted on UConn Today.
Nicholls’ role has included providing academic leadership at UConn, recruiting and appointing nearly all of the Storrs-based deans, as well as the vice provosts and several vice presidents.
He is credited with helping establish the school's academic plan, which Herbst said has served the school well "as a roadmap to excellence" for the last three years.
“Anyone who has worked closely with Peter knows that he maintains a reserved equanimity (and dry wit) as he carries out the work of what is a highly demanding and stressful position,” Herbst said. “Peter cares deeply for our students and our mission as a public higher education institution, and he has a great respect for our faculty and staff.”
Dr. Mun Choi, Dean of the School of Engineering, will serve as interim provost as the school conducts a national search to fill the position.
The Hartford Business Journal reports that this is another “major shakeup within UConn's administrative ranks since President Susan Herbst took over last summer” after Dr. Cate Laurencin resigned as dean of the UConn Medical School and vice president of the UConn Health Center, and Jeff Hathaway resigned as athletic director.
