A change in Provost and Vice Chancellor Ron Satz’s health status has made it necessary for Chancellor Donald Mash to appoint an interim provost.

Mash revealed his decision to appoint Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Steven Tallant to the position at the University Senate executive committee meeting Tuesday and to UW-Eau Claire employees in an e-mail message Wednesday.

In February, The Spectator reported that a sudden medical diagnosis had forced Satz to take a temporary leave of absence for most of December through half of February. Until recently, Mash said, Satz had been performing his provost duties part time by working a week, then taking a week off for treatment.

“Two weeks ago, the situation changed with his treatments and his work schedule,” Mash said. “With that change, I felt we needed to formalize what we are doing.”

Satz said in an e-mail that he informed Mash Monday his doctors recommended he take a full leave of absence until fall.

“(My doctors) decided to change my treatment regime to a more aggressive one that is frequently used as a follow-up to what I was already taking,” Satz said. “My disease is now in partial remission.”

Satz communicated via e-mail because of his illness.

“The new treatment requires longer administration and closer supervision and must, therefore, be administered in a hospital setting over a period of a couple of days, as contrasted with the previous treatment administered in a clinic during a one-day period,” he said. “The new treatment also requires more rest between treatments. We hope that the new treatment will lead to a full recovery by fall.”

Satz declined to comment on the specific nature of his illness. Mash said he expects Satz to resume his provost position when he returns.

Tallant was the obvious appointee, Mash said, because his position as associate vice chancellor is closest in line to the provost. Tallant had been performing many of the provost’s duties with help from university administrative officer Jan Morse, Mash said.

“I feel privileged and honored to serve in this capacity, but I want you to remember that Provost Satz is at home ill,” Tallant said, “but he is returning … we’re all looking forward to that.”

Mash has named computer science professor and department chair Andrew Phillips as interim associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies. He also has proposed permanent changes to the administrative structure that are unrelated to Satz’s absence. These include the establishment of separate colleges of education and nursing, which are currently schools within the College of Professional Studies. Mash said he will discuss all of the proposed changes with the University Senate Tuesday.