Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Yueh-Ting Lee has resigned three months after faculty voted no confidence in him. He will still work at UT in a different position.
The 42-7 vote came in April following uncertainty among faculty members regarding the leadership of the college.
"That remains our decision, that the dean should resign or be put into a different position in the university," said Renee Heberle, associate professor in political science and public administration.
On July 15, Lee submitted his letter of resignation to Main Campus Provost Rosemary Haggett and a notice of acceptance for his new position as the vice president of analysis and assessment in the human resources department.
Lee has been the dean since August of last year. His new position carries a salary of $160,000, including stipends and traveling expenses, a $15,000 decrease from his previous position as dean.
"Dean Lee and I had come to a shared conclusion that it was in the best interest of everyone to resume a new position in the university," Haggett said. "I'm really happy that we can use his talents in this new role to benefit the university."
Responding to allegations from faculty members that Lee was chosen as dean despite not being among the three top candidates for the position during the selection process, UT Director of Public Relations Matt Lockwood said there was a search process that at all times required four candidates.
The College of Arts and Sciences faculty, Lockwood said, included Lee as one of these four candidates.
"I don't think you want to quickly undermine that process without taking time to fully evaluate the situation and to give the dean an opportunity to work through some things," he said.
In the past, the president and the provost had repeatedly said they strongly support Lee, especially since the vote.
The shift of Lee's position does not mean they will stop supporting him, Hagget said.
"I think this means another transition for the college," she said. "We'll work together on the transition, and we're looking into the future."
An interim dean will be named at the beginning of the fall semester, Haggett said. The search for a new dean will begin sometime in February after a strategic assessment of the college is completed.
She explained that the interim dean might be from outside of the college and even the university. She added that the last time CAS had an interim dean, it was Sue Ott Rowlands, who was the chair of theatre and film before being selected. Rowlands left the university in 2007.
Although Lee has resigned as the dean, he will remain an administrator at UT.
Vice President for Human Resources and Campus Safety Bill Logie offered Lee his new position.
According to Logie, Lee's new duties will include data collection, validations of questions for employees, which is required by the federal law, being a psychologist who will be directly involved when faculty members, staffs or students perceive they are being threatened, and he will also be in charge of encouraging diversity among police officers, customers and others at UT.
"I want to capitalize those strengths, and I want to use as many of his as I can … [Lee] is a pair of hands we really need right now," Logie said.
Lee's transition will take effect on Sept. 19.
Lee was not available to comment.
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