UCF interim President Thad Seymour has placed Provost Elizabeth Dooley on paid administrative leave, according to a Friday statement released by the university.
Jana Jasinski, vice provost for Faculty Excellence, was named by Seymour to serve as acting provost, according to the statement.
“Earlier today, I placed Provost Elizabeth Dooley on paid administrative leave,” Seymour said. “She agreed this decision allows her to temporarily step away while we work to fully understand concerns that have been raised, and I appreciate her commitment to cooperate.”
Dooley’s paid administrative leave comes after the Twitter account @of_ucf began posting screenshots of what appears to be messages with the provost.
“Times of transition are always stressful, and I know this past year has been especially difficult for our university,” Seymour said in the statement. “But through it all, you have continued to serve our students and community with distinction and a commitment to our values.”
“We can confirm that Dr. Dooley remains committed to her role as provost,” UCF spokesman Chad Binette said in a Wednesday email.
Dooley served as interim provost before the Provost Search Committee, led by College of Sciences Dean Michael Johnson, selected her in October 2018, according to her change in position announcement written by former UCF President Dale Whittaker.
The former vice provost for Teaching and Learning and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies had been serving as the interim provost since April 2018.
The Office of the Provost oversees UCF’s academic enterprise, including curriculum, faculty hiring and development, digital and online learning, budgeting and student success initiatives, according to its website.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
