Provost Cathy Barlow has announced that she will retire at the end of June, after the 2011-12 academic year.

Barlow said she was planning to retire this year or the next.

“Part of the issue is that the university has accreditation coming in 2013,” said Barlow. “If I went ahead and retired now, the new provost could come along and be ready for the accreditation process. We tried to think about what was best for the university.”

Barlow has been on campus since 2000 when she came to the university as dean of the Watson School of Education. In 2009 she served as interim provost and was named permanent provost a year later.

During her tenure, Barlow established the College of Health and Human Services, helped steer UNCW through three years of budget reductions and developed the first-ever academic strategic plan for the university, among other accomplishments.

A national search for a new provost began in mid-February and will continue until the position is filled.

Chancellor Gary Miller has appointed the Search Committee for Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. The committee is made of 21 members and includes faculty, staff and students.

In a message to faculty and staff, Miller said, “While I understand Cathy’s personal decision to step down, I am sorry to lose her as an integral part of the leadership team here at UNCW. I was fortunate to move into this chancellorship with a team of experienced and dedicated professionals around me, and Cathy’s leadership and commitment to the success of this university has been a tremendous asset. I wish her well in this next phase of her life.”

The committee has been tasked with heading the search for the next provost, who will also function as the chief operating officer of the university and second in authority to the chancellor.

Members of the committee have signed a confidentiality agreement for the course of the search. Once final applicants are chosen, the goal is to invite three or four finalists to campus in April for interviews. Open forums will be held so that anyone interested may ask questions and meet the finalists.

Criteria for the new provost include significant experience in teaching and as a faculty member and a values-based approach to leadership.

An ad for the opening will be published in academic magazines like the Chronicle of Higher Education and Women and Higher Education, among others.

The early consideration deadline is March 9.

The committee will meet again on March 15 to narrow down the early applicants. Finalists will then be chosen to do phone interviews and video conferences. The ideal goal for the committee is to announce the new provost in May.

If a strong applicant is not found by the March 15 deadline, an interim provost will be appointed.

Pat Leonard, chair of the search committee and vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said, “This is a critical time for UNCW as the person coming into the position will have to look at all that we do strategically. In a time of economic downturn and as we grow as a university, we have to use the resources we have to meet our needs.”

In the meantime, Provost Barlow said, “I’m trying to pull together things that will be important for the person coming in. It’s a large job and this university has grown in stature as well as respect, and the value of the diploma has gone up so much. It’s a wonderful position for someone to move into, and I’ll be glad to help the transition in any way that I can.”

“Working at this university as a dean and a provost has been so rewarding,” said Barlow. “It’s an outstanding job, and UNCW is a good place to be.”