The University of Wyoming announced Friday that Scott Turpen will serve as interim provost while the institution conducts a national search for its next chief academic advisor.
The university’s most recent provost, Kevin Carman, resigned abruptly last month. UW President Ed Seidel removed him from the position for reasons neither Carman nor Seidel have stated publicly.
"Provost Carman has helped lead our university through a period of change and has played a key role in positioning us for success in the future," Seidel wrote in the original announcement. "I deeply appreciate his many contributions and will miss his collegial counsel."
The week before his resignation, the university's Board of Trustees had met behind closed doors in executive session for about two hours.
Turpen, the newly appointed interim provost, is a professor of music who has been at UW for more than two decades. He has served as the College of Arts and Sciences dean for the last two years.
"Dr. Turpen is a strong, steady leader who has the respect and support of his academic college and people across UW," Seidel wrote in Friday's announcement. "Under his leadership as interim provost, I'm confident we'll continue moving forward with our efforts to enhance our service to students and the state of Wyoming."
UW leadership hopes to announce a more permanent provost next year.