Western Illinois University is once again in the market for a new provost.
Current Provost Martin Abraham has been reassigned to the faculty. He will serve as a professor for Western's School of Engineering. The new assignment begins July 1, 2021.
Dr. Abraham came to WIU in July, 2019 to serve as provost, a position that had been filled by interim appointments for several previous years. But President Jack Thomas stepped down weeks before Abraham's arrival, leading Abraham to serve as acting/interim president for the next year-and-a-half.
Abraham was a finalist during the search to replace Dr. Thomas but the Board of Trustees instead chose Dr. Guiyou Huang to serve as president beginning January 1, 2021.
Abraham spent the past six months as provost.
The university said Billy Clow will return to the position of interim provost until a new provost is in place. The search will begin in the fall with the goal of having a new provost in place by July 1, 2022.
Clow is normally the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC). He also served as interim provost for two years beginning in January, 2019.
COFAC Associate Dean Buzz Hoon will serve as the college’s interim dean during Clow's time as interim provost.
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