Mercer University selects new provost

Mercer University President William Underwood announced Friday that the college's current provost will step down at the end of the year and a different senior administrator will take over as the school's chief academic officer.

Provost Wallace Daniel, a noted Russian historian, will return to the college faculty as a a history professor. D. Scott Davis, senior vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies, will become provost Jan. 1.

Mercer is based in Macon and has sites in Atlanta and Savannah.