After six years of tenure at Baruch College, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs David Christy announced his plan to retire at the end of the current academic year.

Dr. James McCarthy is set to serve as interim provost for the next two years.

The provost is responsible for creating and implementing academic priorities and the allocation of resources to support those priorities.

During his tenure, Christy recruited two new deans, implemented a five-year strategic plan, amplified the mission of the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs and aligned Baruch’s practices with the current CUNY policies and procedures.

Christy also addressed a number of challenging internal policy and procedural issues that were controversial, such as his stance against social Greek life on campus and extending the current moratorium on it.

Christy detailed in an email to students on Feb. 25 a number of items he hoped to complete before he leaves in June, including implementing Board of Trustees and CUNY directives into several local college processes, continuing to further the five-year strategic plan and serving as master of ceremonies at the Baruch Commencement that marks the end of 50-year anniversary celebration.

In Baruch President Mitchel B. Wallerstein’s message to the students and faculty, he expressed his gratitude to Christy saying, “His efforts have helped to promote greater efficiency and transparency in the way that our academic departments and programs are administered.”

Wallerstein also mentioned his plan to seamlessly transition McCarthy to interim provost. McCarthy, who served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Baruch from June 2007 through January 2012, is well acquainted with the role and has a strong record of effective and successful leadership.

In addition, McCarthy has been appointed as the director of the master’s degree program in higher education administration at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs.

As for Christy, he stated, “There may be part-time or temporary assignments that I would consider, but my days of full-time work are closing.”

The Ticker will be interviewing Wallerstein to speak about his transition plan relating to the provost’s office, as well conducting an interview with Christy before his departure in June to discuss how the change in provost will affect Baruch’s Greek life policy.