By Kalyn Story | News Editor
Interim Provost Dr. Michael McLendon announced his resignation because of personal and health matters.
McLendon, a Baylor alum and former dean of Baylor’s School of Education, took on the role of interim provost last July.
“I am announcing my resignation as Interim Provost of Baylor University, a beloved institution at which I spent my undergraduate years and the past three seasons of my academic career, due to personal and medical concerns that will no longer allow me to fulfill the responsibilities and requirements of this important academic leadership position in a manner I believe this role demands,” McLendon said in an email to students, faculty and staff.
President Dr. Linda Livingstone appointed Gary C. Mortenson, dean of the School of Music, to oversee the Provost’s Office. Livingstone also asked Gary Carini, vice provost of graduate professional education, to take over the responsibility of completing “Illuminate,” the university’s strategic academic plan, before the Board of Regents meeting in May.
“I am confident in the leadership of both Drs. Mortenson and Carini in managing the Provost’s Office during this short time of transition, as we near the end of the spring semester and the conclusion of the search for Baylor’s next Provost,” Livingstone said in an email. “[T]hanks to the many contributions and ongoing feedback from the deans, faculty and our entire University community, I have no reservations regarding the direction, content, timeline and ultimate launch of Illuminate next month.”
Livingstone and McLendon spoke at a panel in November about their commitment to making Baylor a tier one research institution and furthering their strategic academic plan.
“We can simultaneously commit ourselves to growing academic programs the highest level, we can also remain committed to our faith and our Christian commitment and we can remain committed to our undergraduate education and transformational experience,” McLendon said in November. “The notion that we can only do one of those things or maybe two, but not all of them together — we need to suspend that kind of thinking because we can in fact do all of those things. We need to be bold and aspirational in order to elevate ourselves into that top tier of research institutions.”
Livingstone said they are in the interview stage with several candidates for provost, who they are hoping to bring to campus for open forums over the next few weeks.
“I look forward to soon completing our University’s leadership team as we commit to Baylor reaching its greatest potential as a preeminent Christian research university,” Livingstone said.
