Colby Brooke
During this past week, President Jerry Joyce announced to the Mount community that long time Provost Dr. Boyd Creasman will be stepping down at the end of this academic year. In addition to his step down, Creasman will shift his focus back to teaching full-time. This shift back to full-time teaching will enable him to join the Mount’s English department.
The decision to step back from his position at Provost, Creasman explained was something that he first began thinking about in the late fall of last semester. When he brought it up to newly appointed President Jerry Joyce, they had a discourse that led Creasman to mull over the decision during the Christmas break.
Now that winter break has come and gone Creasman has stuck to his original decision to step down. He explained that he didn’t want to be “the type of person who hangs on to something for too long” and is allowing someone “new” to lead the Mount in its next academic chapter.
So, the main question that arises now is “Who will take Dr. Creasman’s place as provost?” the answer isn’t as simple as one may think. We here at the Echo got in contact with President Joyce through his assistant on what his next move will be in the search for a new Provost.
He states, “I am working with our Chief Human Resource Officer Kristin Hurley on an anticipated nationwide search for a provost. I will share more information about the search in the coming weeks.”
President Joyce has also commented on Dr. Creasman’s decision to step down from his position. “Dr. Creasman’s decision to step down after seven years as provost at the end of the academic year is a bittersweet moment the university.
From my perspective, his greatest legacy is his focus on student success, particularly in bringing a student-centered approach to academics and championing and initiative to diversify our faculty.
“I appreciate the foundation of growth in academic programs, as well as online instruction that he has laid for his successor.” Joyce said. One of the final comments that Joyce had was on his own excitement for Dr. Creasman to continue his academic teaching career during this semester and beyond.
“I am particularly grateful that he will remain as a professor and will continue to serve the Mount’s students well. Dr. Creasman is teaching a class this semester, and his smile is extra wide on days that he is in the classroom” Joyce remarked.
In January of 2018, Mount St. Mary’s hired Creasman to come in and serve as the university’s Provost, thus bringing new opportunities to the Mount’s academic programs. Before his time at the Mount Creasman spent four years serving as the Provost for West Virginia Wesleyan University.
In his time there Creasman helped develop a graduate nursing program, taught English, became the English department chair, and the director of the School of Fine Arts and Humanities.
Creasman has also written and published countless articles, papers and even his own book. Entitled “Writing West Virginia: Place, People, and Poverty in Contemporary Literature from the Mountain State” published in 2016.
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