Radford University Provost Wil Stanton will resign, effective Dec. 31, according to an e-mail from Stanton to the RU community.

Stanton said he will remain at the university as a full-time professor in the college of business.

In a letter to the university community, Stanton said he regrets the decision to leave the provost's position.

"I have made this decision with great regret, because I love the job of provost," he wrote. "Together we have accomplished remarkable things and I want to sincerely thank all of you as colleagues for all you have done,"

Over the past two months, Stanton has been embroiled in controversy.

On Oct. 22, the university's faculty senate took a "no confidence" vote against Stanton and asked President Penelope Kyle to replace him.

Some faculty have accused Stanton, the school's chief academic officer, of refusing to take a stand in favor of the faculty during a series of controversial administrative decisions, including an expedited review program last spring that eliminated programs.

Stanton was named the second provost at Radford in July 2007. During public  interviews for that job, Stanton said he'd be honest, open and work hard to move the university forward.

He replaced Ivelaw Griffith, who was demoted from the post in February of that year after an ongoing debate over his management style.
Before becoming Provost, Stanton had been on campus for 13 years.

He had applied for the spot when Griffith was hired, but Kyle did not select him.


Full text of Wil Stanton's letter:

Colleagues:

After 15 years serving Radford University in a number of administrative capacities including Dean of the Graduate College, Founding Dean of the College of Information Science and Technology, Associate Vice President for Academic Administration, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, Senior Vice Provost, and most recently Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, I have decided that the time is appropriate for me to return to a full-time teaching and research faculty position as a Professor of Marketing in the College of Business and Economics. 

I began my career 37 years ago as an adjunct professor teaching remedial math. It was then that I fell in love with teaching and formed a passion for instilling in each student the excitement of inquiry, the thrill of discovery, the quest for knowledge, and the foundation for lifelong learning. I have always desired to end my career as it began – in the classroom educating young minds and working with students as a partner in their educational pursuits.  Thus, I am resigning as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs effective December 31, 2009 and will return to the classroom on a full-time basis in January of 2011.

I have made this decision with great regret, because I love the job of provost.  Together we have accomplished remarkable things and I want to sincerely thank all of you as colleagues for all you have done.  Your commitment to providing the highest quality educational experience for all our students has made our already great university even greater. I thank you for that.

I will always treasure the relationships we have developed as colleagues, and look forward to building on those relationships as a faculty colleague. 

Sincerely,

Wil

Full text of Penelope Kyle's letter:

December 7, 2009

Dear Members of the RU Faculty and Staff:

As you may know, Dr. Wil Stanton has announced his intention to resign from his position as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective December 31, 2009. Dr. Stanton will then begin a one-year academic sabbatical that will help him prepare for a full-time teaching and research faculty position in our College of Business and Economics as a Professor of Marketing.

Wil has served Radford University with dedication and enthusiasm in a number of different administrative roles since joining our university in 1994. In addition to his present position, he has served RU as Dean of the College of Graduate and Extended Education, founding Dean of the College of Information Science and Technology, Associate Vice President for Academic Administration, Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Senior Vice Provost.

I want to acknowledge and thank Wil for the contributions he has made and recognize him for all that we have been able to accomplish as a result of his efforts. I am also very pleased that our students and faculty will continue to benefit from his wisdom and scholarship when he returns to a teaching and research position in our College of Business and Economics’ Department of Marketing.

Our need to remain focused on building a strong and bright future for RU during a time characterized by almost continuous budgetary duress has created a difficult set of circumstances for our entire university community. I want to thank each of you for what you are doing to further the success of our institution in the midst of the trying times that confront all of higher education. The resolve and professionalism you bring to your work is a source of great strength for RU, and your continued support and understanding will be critical as we navigate our university through these unprecedented fiscal challenges. And I want to assure all of you that I am more personally and professionally committed than ever before to fostering and sustaining the culture of trust, transparency and empowerment that we need in order to build the future we all want and which Radford University deserves.

I have asked our most senior dean, Dr. Joe Scartelli of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, to serve as our Interim Provost. We will immediately begin to define the process that we will follow in the national search for our next provost, and I have asked Dean Scartelli, as well as President Stephen Owen of the RU Faculty Senate, to lead this effort. In the meantime, I welcome your input and appreciate whatever steps you can personally take to help RU successfully negotiate this important transition in the university’s senior leadership.

With gratitude for all you do for Radford,

Penelope W. Kyle

President