Iowa State President Martin Jischke announced on Monday that the university has accepted the resignation of Provost John J. Kozak, but the provost does not plan on leaving the university.

According to a university press release, the resignation will take effect on Dec. 31 of this year. Kozak submitted his resignation on Oct.15.

Kozak’s reason for resigning from his position is to get back in touch with teaching chemistry and conducting research.

“I just felt I was getting a little disconnected from my discipline,” Kozak said. “I just felt it was time to reconnect.”

Since he was appointed provost in July of 1992, Kozak said he taught only one chemistry course.

“I’m at the point that I’d like to contribute in a different way to the institution,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to contributing as a faculty member. I can’t say it simpler than that.”

Kozak said university officials have reacted favorably to his decision to assume a new role with the university.

“The colleagues I’ve talked to have been very supportive and understanding [of my decision],” he said.

Kozak said he will resume teaching next fall. Next semester, he plans to conduct research.

John McCarroll, director of University Relations, said the resignation is “probably somewhat of a surprise [to the administration].”

McCarroll said it is difficult to hold an administrative and teaching role simultaneously.

“You can’t pursue your discipline on a full-time basis,” he said.

McCarroll said a national search for a new provost will begin as soon as a search committee can be formed. An interim provost will be named soon.

Government of the Student Body President Bryan Burkhardt said Jischke’s announcement caught him off guard.

“I was shocked,” Burkhardt said. “I didn’t anticipate it at all.”

Burkhardt said he had been anticipating working more closely with Kozak on several GSB-related issues, including mid-semester teaching and course evaluations and an academic exchange program tangent to the year-long George Washington Carver Celebration.

Despite the resignation, Burkhardt said, “We’re going to continue to press forward with these [issues].

“I’m kind of jealous that the chemistry department is getting him solely for themselves,” he said.

Of his 30 years in higher education, Kozak has assumed an administrative role for the last 15 of those years.

Kozak started his professional career at the University of Notre Dame in 1968, where he served a number of positions, including professor of chemistry, senior scientist, co-director of the Honors Program and associate dean of the College of Science.

From 1988 to 1992, Kozak served as the dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry at the University of Georgia in Athens. He joined ISU six years ago.