More than 18 months after Karen Bjorkman stepped down as Provost, it was announced in February that Dr. Scott Molitor will continue as interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs for the 2024-25 academic year.
This is despite indications in January that a new permanent provost was at hand. Two finalists vying to be UT’s next provost visited campus in January to meet with students, faculty, and staff. Both finalists had a 75-minute forum with the UToledo community where they gave personal presentations about themselves and answered questions.
Dr. Amy B. Hietapelto, the interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Minnesota Duluth, visited campus on Jan. 18 and Dr. Abby L. Parrill, dean of the college of arts and sciences and former interim provost at the University of Memphis, visited campus on Jan. 22.
On Feb. 20, the University announced Molitor’s contract was extended through June 30, 2025 “following a decision by UToledo President Gregory Postel and leadership of the Board of Trustees to end the current provost search allowing for a continued conversation about the restructuring of the roles of the University’s provost and strategic enrollment leader.”
“We felt like bringing in somebody from the outside at this point would be too disruptive again,” Molitor said.
In the announcement, President Postel praised Molitor’s work as interim provost, saying, “Scott has quickly become a trusted and highly respected leader as our interim chief academic officer in a period of robust change in both higher education more broadly and at UToledo specifically.”
“I appreciate his continued leadership as we position the University for continued success,” Postel added.
Molitor was originally named the interim provost in September 2023 after Dr. Risa Dickson was removed as interim. Dickson was appointed in 2022 after Karen Bjorkman resigned as provost to return to a faculty position.
Prior to assuming the interim provost role, Molitor was vice provost for academic affairs and acting dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Molitor has been a member of the UToledo bioengineering faculty since 2000 and held a number of administrative roles in the College of Engineering before joining the Office of the Provost staff in 2022.
Molitor is not interested in the permanent position.
“I just don’t think I have the background and the experience to be the best provost this university can get,” Molitor said.
