Philip E. Austin can’t seem to shake the interim role at the University of Connecticut.
After recently being relieved of his duties as interim president of UConn, Austin has agreed to serve as the UConn Health Center’s interim vice president for health affairs while a national search is conducted to identify Dr. Cato T. Laurencin’s replacement.
In addition, Dr. Bruce T. Liang, director of the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center, has agreed to serve as interim dean of the UConn School of Medicine, UConn officials said.
Laurencin — the current dean of the UConn Medical School and the vice president of the UConn Health Center – made a surprise announcement last week when he told school officials he will step down from both positions on July 1.
Laurencin will remain with the university in his roles as CEO of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science and director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering. He will be the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery and continue to practice orthopaedic surgery at the Health Center.
