Senior Vice President and Provost Stan Wearden will leave the college in January 2019, earlier than his previously announced departure in June 2019.

According to an Oct. 10 email from President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim to faculty and staff, Wearden will assume the role of president at Methodist University.

Suzanne Blum Malley, senior associate provost and associate professor in the English and Creative Writing Department, will be taking over as interim senior vice president and provost, effective Jan 1, 2019.

Blum Malley joined Columbia in 1995 as a faculty member and became senior associate provost in July 2015, according to the email.

“Suzanne brings to her new role great experience, skill, and commitment to Columbia’s faculty and students,” Kim said.

A nationwide search is underway for a new provost.

According to the email, an official farewell to Wearden will be announced soon.

Story developments to come.