After 35 years of service to the school, Dr. J. Karl Worthington, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, is retiring.
“Karl is a resource that we will sorely missed on this campus,” Interim President Elizabeth Hitch said. “He may be able to clean his desk, but he will never be able to erase the indelible mark of his positive effects on the college as it has become a university.”
Worthington has been with UVU since 1975 when the school was UTC/Provo. He has been involved in helping oversee UVU’s the expansion of academic programming; playing a critical role in getting many degree programs approved.
Dr. Mohammed El-Saidi will take over Worthington’s responsibilities, serving as the Interim Academic Vice President, in addition to his responsibilities as Associate Vice President of Academic Administration.
Previously, Dr. El-Saidi served as department head and assistant dean of assessment at Ferris State University, Mich., but comes to UVU from Tarelton State University-Central Texas (TSU-CT) where he was an academic dean and professor of mathematics.
Dr. El-Saidi has a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics from the University of Memphis and has more than 20 years of successful teaching, research and administrative experience.
“We will miss Karl’s wit and patented play on words, but more importantly his focus on students in all his daily work,” Hitch said. “We wish him the very best in retirement.”
