The Lumberjack

Issue date: 6/6/07 Section: Campus

Provost Rick Vrem.

Conflicting stories tell different tales of Humboldt State Provost Rick Vrem stepping down as Vice President of Academic Affairs. One story said he was retiring, another that he was asked to resign.

Multiple sources at Humboldt State, including one in a position to know, said that Vrem was asked to step down. A statement from Humboldt State President Rollin Richmond said that Vrem, after 27 years of service at the university, chose to retire.

"Rick's active presence will be missed," Richmond said in the statement, "but we can all be glad to have shared in his passion for teaching and his devotion to colleagues and students of Humboldt State University."

For the past year, Vrem had to address the continued budget crisis facing Humboldt State on the academic side. Academics faced $2.6 million in cuts for the 2007-08 school year.

Vrem remained optimistic about the budget cuts facing the university, and in several interviews over the past year with The Lumberjack felt the worst was behind.

"This is the third budget downturn," Vrem said in The Lumberjack article on January 17. "I wonder how we get through it, but we always do."

Vrem is among at least four administrators who left the university in the past year. Helen Jones, former director of Humboldt State's Office of Diversity and Compliance Services, said in a Sept. 6 Lumberjack article that she was fired. Kevin Creed, former director of the Campus Emergency Response Team, and Bob Schulz, former facilities management director were laid-off.

A reception for Vrem is expected in the fall. His last day of work will be August 1, according to the President's statement. No replacement for the Provost position has been chosen yet.

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