University vice provost returning to classroom

First loves can be hard to forget.

James Stewart, vice provost for educational equity, plans to return to his first love after a long absence.

In the Fall Semester, Stewart will leave the position he has held since 1990 to return to the classroom as a professor of labor and industrial relations, he announced yesterday.

"It seemed like a good time to return to the faculty. We have just finished our strategic plan, which will be implemented next year," he said. "So it seemed like a propitious time to step back to my first love -- teaching and research."

The University-wide diversity strategic plan has been one of Stewart's major goals since he was named the first vice provost for educational equity. The plan focuses on improving diversity efforts throughout the University, according to a news release from the University's Department of Public Information.

No successor has been named and Stewart said he thinks a search committee will be formed.

"Much progress has been made in the years Dr. Stewart served as the University's initial vice provost for educational equity," said John Brighton, executive vice president and provost, in a news release. "While we understand and applaud his wish to return to the faculty, Jim's contributions to the Penn State administration will be missed."

Stewart's decision had nothing to do with problems with the job, he said. People who worked with him knew he had always planned on returning to the faculty, said Terrell Jones, associate vice provost for educational equity.

"I think his presence will be missed," Jones said.