Dear UNLV Community,

We wanted to provide an update on the leadership transition following Dr. Keith E. Whitfield’s decision to resign his position as UNLV’s president. Executive Vice President and Provost Christopher L. Heavey, Ph.D., will serve as Officer in Charge, effective today, March 4, 2025.

An experienced leader, Provost Heavey has been at UNLV for more than 30 years, serving in various leadership roles, including senior vice provost, vice provost for undergraduate education, and dean. A tenured professor of psychology, he holds a master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UCLA and a bachelor’s from UC Santa Cruz. As an administrator, he has been committed to strengthening academic programs, supporting faculty, and enhancing student learning outcomes.

According to NSHE code, the officer in charge shall exercise the powers of the president until an acting, interim, or permanent president is appointed by the Board of Regents.

In the coming weeks, Chancellor Patricia Charlton, Chair Amy J. Carvalho, and Vice Chair Jeffrey S. Downs will engage with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members to determine the next steps and will include a recommendation on whether to appoint an acting or interim president. We will share updates with the campus community as those decisions are made.

We thank Dr. Whitfield for his leadership over the past five years. His dedication to student success, new academic programs, and innovation helped solidify UNLV’s status as a premier public research university. We will always be grateful for his leadership during the COVID pandemic and following the tragedy of Dec. 6.

Sincerely,

Patricia Charlton
Chancellor
Nevada System of Higher Education

Amy J. Carvalho
Chair of the Board of Regents
Nevada System of Higher Education