Dr. Y. T. Shah has announced plans to step down from his position as provost at the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Shah became UMR’s provost in July 2001. He will leave the position in August of 2006.

In that position, Shah served as UMR’s chief academic officer, overseeing all academic programs as well as the enrollment management, pre-college programs, information technology, research and sponsored programs, technology transfer, undergraduate and graduate studies programs, and distance and continuing education and international programs.

"Serving as UMR’s provost has been a wonderful experience for me, both professionally and personally," says Shah. "Under this organizational structure, we have made tremendous accomplishments over the past 4 1/2 years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served UMR in this capacity."

UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III adds that Shah helped UMR strengthen its research and graduate education programs, increase on-campus enrollment, improve retention and graduation rates, expand distance education programs and broaden the campus’ curriculum to include business and management systems, information technology, technical communication, bio-related programs and several other engineering degree programs. Shah also helped improve campus diversity.

"Y.T. has been a vital part of the UMR leadership team during a time of economic uncertainty," Carney says. "While state support for higher education has declined in recent years, Y.T. helped offset some of that decline by creating a climate to stimulate research productivity among our faculty and enhancing on- and off-campus student enrollment. I appreciate his strong leadership on our campus and thank him for his service."

Prior to joining UMR as provost, Shah served as chief research officer and senior vice provost of Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., from 1997 to 2001.

At Clemson, Shah was responsible for stimulating, developing, marketing and coordinating Clemson’s research programs and for helping the state recruit and support high-technology and manufacturing industries.

Prior to his appointment at Clemson, Shah was distinguished professor and dean of the College of Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia from

1991-1997 and university professor and dean of the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Tulsa from 1987-1991.

Carney announced that the search for a new provost will begin immediately.