Chris Heavey, executive vice president and provost at UNLV, has temporarily assumed leadership of the university after Keith Whitfield abruptly stepped down as president Monday, Nevada higher education officials announced.

After leading UNLV through the pandemic and the 2023 on-campus shooting, Keith Whitfield announced late Monday he is stepping down as president effective at the end of that day.

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”

Monday evening marked the end of an era for UNLV President Keith Whitfield, who guided the university through good times and bad times, navigating a pandemic and a deadly campus shooting over a year ago.

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,