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.

Whitfield said there are family issues he needs to tend to that “require more of my time and energy and prevent me from being your president.”

After the sudden departure of UNLV’s president on Monday night, a veteran UNLV educator will temporarily take the helm. UNLV Executive Vice President and Provost Christopher Heavey, who has been at UNLV for three decades,