Emporia State University has announced succession plans with a pair of key retirements coming.
The university has announced the phased retirement of General Counsel Kevin Johnson beginning this weekend. Johnson has served ESU in its current role since 2012 and will serve as senior counsel for special projects until retirement is official in December 2024.
Steven Lovett, currently the associate general counsel for academic affairs, moves into the general counsel role after coming to Emporia State as an assistant professor in 2014.
Meanwhile, Associate Provost and Honors College Dean Gary Wyatt will retire at the end of the upcoming academic year in June 2024. Wyatt started at ESU as a sociology professor in 1988. He led the honors program’s transition into an Honors College in 2014 and has been the college’s dean since then, also serving as associate dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, interim dean of the department and interim provost during times of transition.
Mary Shivley, an Honors College faculty member since 2018, will be associate Honors College dean in August. Shivley has served as admissions counselor, assistant director for student involvement, director of leadership and director of advancement communications during her time at ESU.
