Ex-WSU provost assigned to Tri-City campus

Washington State University announced Monday that former provost Steven Hoch will work at the Tri-City campus in January as a history instructor.

Hoch stepped down as provost in September after just seven weeks on the job as provost to take a personal leave after a shoving incident with another administrator. His term as provost ended Oct. 31 after he and WSU President Elson Floyd agreed he should not remain as provost.

"Professor Hoch was assigned to our campus and will be teaching this spring," said Vicky Carwein, WSU Tri-Cities chancellor. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure this is a smooth transition."

Hoch's contract allows him to continue on at WSU as part of the faculty at an annual salary of $245,000, or about 82 percent of the $300,000 he earned as provost.

He'll earn more than Carwein, who makes $218,000 per year, and almost $200,000 more than the $58,000 paid to the average liberal arts instructor at the Tri-City campus.

It was unclear Monday afternoon whether Hoch's salary will be paid by WSU Tri-Cities or the College of Liberal Arts in Pullman. Representatives for the College of Liberal Arts and the provost's office were not available for comment.

James Tinney, a spokesman for WSU in Pullman, said growth at WSU Tri-Cities prompted the decision to send Hoch to the regional campus.

"The Tri-Cities is a growing campus and with the added curriculum there was a need for more liberal arts instructors over there," Tinney said.

A 46-page investigation report released by the university Oct. 16 showed Hoch's resignation as provost was prompted by an altercation ending in a hallway shoving match with Greg Royer, vice president for business and finance, at a staff meeting.

Hoch said in an e-mail to Floyd that the altercation prompted him to look at returning to a former job or taking up a tenured position in the WSU History Department rather than continuing as provost. He took a personal leave starting Sept. 23.

Hoch came to WSU as provost Aug. 1. He previously was dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky.

Warwick Bayly, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is serving as acting provost. He has agreed to continue for at least two years.