A former engineering dean at the University of Alabama is being recommended as interim president at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the University of Alabama System said Wednesday.
Chancellor Finis St. John’s appointment of Chuck Karr still must be approved by trustees, but St. John was a member of the board for 17 years and opposition to Karr was unlikely.
Karr, who worked as engineering dean at the Tuscaloosa campus for 16 years, would replace Darren Dawson, who cited private family matters in stepping down after less than three years on the job at UAH, which has an emphasis on engineering and technology.
“The board of trustees and the University of Alabama System have made the success of UAH a top priority, and I am confident that Dr. Karr is well-positioned to help UAH reach its full potential,” St. John said in a statement.
Trustees will vote on Karr’s appointment during a meeting Thursday. The interim appointment would be for at least 18 months, the system said, and Dawson will remain on the payroll until the end of the year.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
