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Joseph Glover just started as the University of Arizona's provost on July 1, but he’s already leaving. He’s returning to an institution that’s having its own share of abrupt leadership changes.
Glover, who was the University of Florida’s provost for 15 years before leaving that role in July 2023, is now heading back to Florida to be the interim provost. He’s replacing current University of Florida provost J. Scott Angle, who will return to his previous role as senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.
The move continues a pattern of recent UF leaders returning to their positions in the wake of Ben Sasse’s abrupt resignation from the university presidency last month—after little more than a year in that job. Kent Fuchs, UF president from 2015 to 2023, took over as interim president this month and now has Glover, his old provost, back.
“The interim president of UF has asked me to lend my expertise in support of the university, where I spent over 15 years, and which is undergoing a major transition,” Glover wrote in a message to Arizona students and colleagues Tuesday.
Glover had stepped down as UF’s provost not long after Sasse, a former Republican U.S. senator, became UF’s president. Sasse then named Angle interim provost and, in January, took the “interim” off Angle's title. That’s now coming undone: Angle said he’s leaving the provost role Sept. 6.
“Fuchs has asked former UF provost Joe Glover to return and to serve as interim provost upon my departure,” Angle wrote in an email addressed to his UF colleagues. “When I took this position, Dr. Glover graciously offered his support. I am pleased to return the favor.”
Angle said being provost “was not a position I sought, but I accepted the job with an open heart, and I greatly enjoyed working with my faculty colleagues to support their work and to strengthen UF on all fronts.”
Glover, in his message, wrote, “I intended to stay [at Arizona] and was committed to becoming an integral part of this community, advancing the university’s success in the years to come. When I arrived in Tucson in early summer, I bought a home and truly enjoyed getting to know this community.” Neither Glover nor Angle provided Inside Higher Ed an interview Wednesday.
“I recognize that my departure comes soon after beginning my role and shortly before the start of the fall semester,” Glover wrote. “I will work with university leadership to support my successor and ensure a smooth transition in the coming weeks.” The Arizona Board of Regents just voted Friday to name Suresh Garimella the University of Arizona’s next president, replacing Robert Robbins, who announced his resignation amid an ongoing financial crisis.
