Patrick Farrell has returned to the College of Engineering faculty after leaving his position as provost of the University of Wisconsin last month.

Chancellor Biddy Martin, who became UW chancellor in September, said the change was a part of her transition.

“It is fairly common for provosts to change when a university makes a transition to new leadership. Pat’s return to Engineering is part of the transition,” Martin said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald.

The provost position will be filled in the interim by School of Education Dean Julie Underwood, who said in a statement she has no plans of pursuing a spot as a permanent candidate for the position.

Farrell joined the faculty at the College of Engineering in 1982 and remained there until being hired by the dean’s office in 2001. He was appointed to the position of provost in April 2006 by then-Chancellor John Wiley.

As provost, Farrell worked on UW’s two-year reaccredidation self-study initiative and led the effort to establish “The Wisconsin Experience” as an integral part of the university’s expectations for graduates.

A committee is currently being formed to search for a new provost, which will include 13 members of the UW staff, faculty and student body and will be overseen by Martin.

The provost is responsible for acting as chief academic officer of the university, overseeing faculty and staff development and working to improve diversity and enrollment.

Additionally, should the chancellor be absent, the provost steps in as chief executive officer.

“The university needs a provost with strong administrative and leadership skills, integrity, intellectual curiosity and the capacity to execute or get things done,” Martin said.

Martin added it is essential students be appointed to the committee to ensure their perspectives are represented. She also believes they will gain valuable knowledge about the university and its administration by being involved.

Associated Students of Madison Shared Governance Chair Adam Sheka is overseeing the selection of two students to the search committee.

He said while two may not seem like many, it is much more representation than students have had on similar committees in the past.

“It shows how important this process is and how important it is to have students involved,” Sheka said. “One of the unique things about Wisconsin is that … we have students on every committee that affects us.”

Farrell made no comment in the December statement announcing the new provost search. When approached last week at his new office in the Mechanical Engineering Building, Farrell declined to comment on the situation.