The University of Southern Mississippi President Martha Saunders announced today that Southern Miss Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jay Grimes has resigned his position.
Grimes resignation is effective July 31, and an interim provost will be appointed at that time. He will continue serving the university as professor in its Gulf Coast Research Laboratorys Department of Coastal Sciences.
"On my very first day in office, Dr. Grimes offered to step down in the interest of a new beginning for the university and I appreciate his honorable gesture, said Saunders. Dr. Grimes has worked hard to further academic quality at Southern Miss and we thank him for his service.
Read more in tomorrow's print edition of the Hattiesburg American.
House cleaning has begun. Let's hope they do a real national search this time, and get someone in who has some experience with being in charge of academics (what *real* provosts do at *real* wurl' class universities). Funny how the new Prez hasn't used "wurl' class" once since she took office? Any cheeks been stepped on since May 21?
In the audio of the HA editorial board meeting with President Saunders, she stated that someone on her staff (I think that's how she phrased it) had volunteered to coordinate the dean searches.
This is true. But the faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Provost's Committee have already been working with Dr. Exline to create an appropriate process and to clarify her role as co-ordinator (if that actually happens -- to my knowlege, the President has not made that decision).