For the third time in as many years, Pima Community College is searching for a new provost.
Provost Erica Holmes, the schoolβs chief academic officer since mid-2014, abruptly announced her departure in an internal email Friday, barely three months after PCC renewed her $179,000 contract for another full year.
Her last day on the job is Oct. 1. She will receive about $150,000 in salary and benefits from the college under the terms of a legal agreement.
Holmesβ departure comes at a critical juncture for PCC, which is trying to overcome a sanction imposed by its accreditor due to lingering problems with the schoolβs governance and administration.
One of the accreditorβs concerns is about high turnover in PCCβs executive ranks. The college has had a revolving door of provosts in recent years: Holmes is the third since 2012.
Holmes, who has been seeking work elsewhere since soon after she arrived at PCC, said sheβs leaving for unspecified βpersonal reasons.β Her departure email did not indicate that she has found another job.
Holmesβ decision to leave follows recent faculty complaints of low morale and chaotic decision-making in her area of responsibility.
As part of the separation deal, Chancellor Lee Lambert agreed to provide Holmes with a professional reference βconfirming her positive contributions to the college.β
The agreement contains a βnon-disparagementβ clause that forbids either party from making derogatory remarks about the other. If anyone asks why Holmes left, βthe parties will state that Holmes decided to resign for personal reasons, or similar words to that effect,β it says.
The deal also requires Holmes to make herself βreasonably availableβ to respond to questions related to her provost duties and to review a report PCC must provide to its accreditor next year.
Holmes had no prior experience as a provost when Lambert hired her.
Lambert said he expects to name an acting provost in a week or so. That person could serve for a year or more, depending on circumstances, he said.
