Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
UNC Asheville announced Monday that Joseph Urgo had been named the university’s interim provost. Urgo was a controversial figure in his previous job.
First, from the UNCA press release:
Joseph Urgo, a senior fellow at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, has been named UNC Asheville’s interim provost. Chancellor Anne Ponder announced Urgo’s appointment at a meeting of the university’s faculty on May 5. Urgo will fill a vacancy that will be created when Provost Jane Fernandes completes her tenure at the university and joins Guilford College as its next president later this summer.
Urgo, an ardent and articulate supporter of the liberal arts, served as president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland from 2010 to 2013. Prior to that, he was Hamilton College’s vice president for Academic Affairs, and also served as dean of the faculty and professor of English. His long career also has included faculty positions at the University of Mississippi, Bryant College, Vanderbilt University and Syracuse University.
“Dr. Urgo’s academic credentials are impressive.” said Chancellor Ponder. “Because of his extensive background in academic administration, his leadership abilities and his national credibility, I am so pleased that someone of his caliber is available to work with us during this time of transition.”
Urgo has gotten to know UNC Asheville this academic year, teaching a literature class, and participating in a faculty “Learning Circle” on “Defending the Liberal Arts.” He also has worked with the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), which is headquartered at UNC Asheville, and assisted in the planning of a civic learning/civic engagement initiative.
UNC Asheville is engaged in a national search for its next chancellor; Ponder has announced that she will retire at the end of July. The next chancellor, with help and advice from the campus community, will decide the timing and process for hiring the next permanent provost.
Now regarding Urgo’s tenure as president of St. Mary’s, from the Washington Post. This story is from June 2013:
St. Mary’s College of Maryland President Joseph R. Urgo has asked the college’s board of trustees not to renew his contract, effectively resigning under pressure from the public liberal arts college after intense questions and criticism of him about this spring’s failure to enroll enough students for next year. The shortage of students could deeply harm the school’s reputation and is expected to cost millions in lost tuition.
Urgo has led the Southern Maryland school for three years, and his contract is set to expire at the end of this month. In recent weeks, St. Mary’s trustees have expressed concern and frustration and have privately discussed Urgo’s future. They announced Urgo’s decision late Tuesday after meeting for five hours behind closed doors at a law firm in downtown Washington. In a written statement, they said Urgo was moving on for “personal and professional reasons.”
CollegeInsurrection.com says Urgo also had his critics at Hamilton.
Thanks to Ashvegas for keeping UNCA alums informed.