ST. LOUIS (AP/KMOX) St. Louis University’s vice president for academic affairs has resigned.

Manoj Patankar resigned and will return to a former position he held as a member of the faculty of the university’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology.

The announcement was made by the chairman of SLU’s Board of Trustees, Thomas H. Brouster, Sr., in a letter to the school’s faculty, staff and students after a board meeting. Patankar had been criticized recently for his proposal to change the way SLU handles tenure.

Mark Knuepfer, President of SLU’s faculty senate, applauded the move telling KMOX “I believe we can find a more effective Provost for the university has more skill working with the faculty and providing a more leadership role than a managerial role.”

There have also been six votes this fall by different school groups criticizing Patankar and SLU President Rev. Lawrence Biondi that culminated in October with no-confidence votes by both the Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association.