President: UCA to seek new provost

Runge to return to faculty position

CONWAY — University of Central Arkansas Provost Steven Runge will return to a faculty position this summer at the request of university president Houston Davis.

Runge, 53, has been provost and vice president for academic affairs since February 2013 and was interim provost for a year before that. In July 2014, he was named executive vice president and provost.

Davis announced the development in an email Thursday to faculty and staff members. He said he would appoint an interim provost effective Aug. 1 for the coming academic year and would begin the process of a national search for provost.

UCA spokesman Christina Madsen said Davis indicated he would have more information in July on the interim position.

In the email, Davis said Runge “has provided many years of great service to UCA and will continue to be a valuable member of our university family. As a faculty member and scholar, as a department chair and college dean, and as Provost for the last five years, he has been an important part of the work of UCA and our university community.”

“I thank him for all that he has done for the campus and will look forward to continuing to work with him as he

transitions to faculty status during this coming academic year,” Davis added.

Madsen said Runge, who has tenure, would return to the biology department as a faculty member but wouldn’t teach until the spring semester because class preparations already have been made for the fall semester.

As provost, Runge makes $ 193, 122 annually for a 12-month schedule. In his faculty position, his nine-month salary will be $115,123 effective Aug. 16, Madsen said.

Runge also sent an email to faculty and staff members,

saying Davis told him “that he [Davis] wants to have a fresh start with leadership in Academic Affairs.”

“When we selected a new president, I knew that this was a possibility; however, I can’t help but be proud when I reflect upon all of what we have accomplished during my five and a half years as provost, and I thank all of you who have worked so hard to make positive changes,” Runge wrote.

Runge said he looks “forward to the opportunity to reconnect to my roots as a faculty member. I may pursue a leadership position in the future, but for now, I am very excited about teaching and researching again.”

Davis said he would provide

an update in early July on the interim position and provide “more insight regarding the timeline for the national search process.”

The president encouraged colleagues to share with him the traits and characteristics they hope to see in the next provost.

Before moving to the provost position, Runge was dean of UCA’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The biology department is in that college.