Provost Patrick Farrell, who has served in his position since April 2006, will return to the College of Engineering faculty at the end of the semester, university officials announced Thursday.
\Pat has provided the university with steady leadership over several years and with continuity during this semester,"" Chancellor Biddy Martin said in a statement. ""He is a talented administrator, and I am very grateful for his service to the campus.""'""
Prior to joining the UW-Madison administration, Farrell was a member of the mechanical engineering faculty. He was named the college's associate dean for academic affairs in 2001 and executive associate dean in 2005.
Martin named School of Education Dean Julie Underwood to serve as interim provost beginning in January. She will fill the role until a new provost is named.
""I am grateful for Julie's willingness to take on this interim role,"" Martin said. ""We will work together to insure progress continues on current top priorities such as the budget, research infrastructure and the strategic framework.""'""'""
Underwood has been dean of the education school since August 2005, and said in a statement she has no plans to be a candidate for the provost position.
Adam Gamoran, the School of Education's associate dean for research and director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, will serve as the school's interim dean.
A search committee to find the next provost will be appointed soon. The provost acts as the university's chief academic officer through collaboration with the deans of UW-Madison's 12 schools and colleges. The provost also serves as chief executive officer in the chancellor's absence.
