President DeCenzo announces leadership changes

On May 13, President David DeCenzo sent out an email confirming that some new changes are being made in administration.

“Dr. Ralph Byington has resigned as provost and executive vice president. Dr. Byington will move forward on sabbatical and will return to the Wall College of Business as a full tenured professor in fall 2020,” DeCenzo said in this email.

After resigning his post, Byington changed his username on Twitter to @EXCCUPROVOST.

“New user name. Easier for me than Nikki Haley,” he tweeted.

With Byington’s resignation and the preparation for a new president, DeCenzo has also appointed a new interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. The former dean of the Edwards College, Daniel J. Ennis will be filling this position. Dr. Holley Tankersley will be joining the Provost’s Office in her new role as associate provost this summer as well.

Tankersley was promoted to Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Faculty and Staff Development when Sallie Clarkson announced she would be retiring, according to The Atheneum.

“Effective July 1, 2019, Tankersley will take on a new structure of the position as the operations of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President are reorganized. There will also be shifting of some functions to David Yancey and Jim Solazzo in the fall,” The Atheneum said.

With Tankersley’s new role some of her responsibilities will include ensure policy alignment and cohesion to support short- and long-term strategic initiatives, maintain open and productive lines of communication with deans, department chairs, faculty, and staff and facilitate dialogue and interaction between the Provost’s Office and faculty and staff. She will also be assisting the provost with development and execution of long-term strategy for academic innovation and excellence that enhances the University’s mission and brings significant potential benefits to the University and align efforts with the University Strategic Plan among many other things.

“I am working with our vice presidents to transition areas that reported to the executive vice president. As I have mentioned before, times of transition can create anxiety. I want our community to be aware that I am asking the President’s and Executive Council to remain cognizant of this element and we will be working to ensure communication throughout the organization,” DeCenzo said in the email.