Dr. Jonathan Parker, provost and vice president for academic affairs at California Baptist University, is stepping down from his administrative position this summer.
Parker is also a professor of education and history at CBU. He said he is stepping down from his administrative role to teach full time. Parker, who has taught a history of California course every fall for many years, will also teach three courses in the teaching credential program in the fall 2015 semester.
“I love teaching; it’s a passion of mine,” Parker said. “I love interacting with students and am looking forward to getting back to that full time.”
In Parker’s interim as provost and vice president, CBU has grown from offering 26 undergraduate majors to 72 distinct majors with almost 100 concentrations.
“The most significant legacy is the faculty that have been hired under my watch,” Parker said. “We have 250 full-time faculty, and close to 200 of them have been hired under my watch. We’ve been careful to hire people who are committed Christians, who are really interested in the idea of faith and learning, and who are excellent teachers.”
CBU is conducting a national search for his successor.
“It’s going to be someone who has a vision for the academic program here at CBU, someone who is going to be able to take us to the next level, someone who really understands the faculty and their needs and, most importantly, someone who understands the vision of the president,” Parker said.
Parker will continue in his role as provost until the end of the fiscal year June 30, and then will transition into full-time teaching in September.
