Scherr, who became provost in 2001, told The Dartmouth that Kim asked him to stay an additional year in order to help prepare for the College's reaccreditation hearing, which is scheduled to begin in November 2010. After realizing how much work the preparations demand, however, Scherr decided to stay on for an additional year, he said.
"It's a long, time-consuming process," Scherr said. "The process requires even more work than it did 10 or 20 years ago."
Administrators have already began preparing for the accreditation hearing, Scherr said, noting that the process often takes up to two years of work.
"President Kim thought it would be good if I could see that through the end," he said.
Scherr, who is also the head of Kim's transition team, noted that his decision to remain in the position of provost will also allow for some "institutional memory for the central administration" in an interview with the Dartmouth Office of Public Affairs.
Because Kim and his strategic adviser, Steven Kadish, were not previously affiliated with the College, much of the transition thus far has been spent familiarizing them with Dartmouth.
"It obviously takes time for someone who hadn't been at Dartmouth to get to know the campus," Scherr said.
Scherr had originally planned to take a sabbatical in order to perform research when he left the Provost's Office, according to Kim's e-mail.
"He's just so loyal to Dartmouth, and I think he understands that his being here will be so helpful," Associate Provost Elizabeth Bankert said. "He must have realized that being here would be in the best interest of the College."
In addition to preparing for the accreditation process, Kim said in the e-mail, Scherr also will conduct a comparative review of the role of the Provost's Office at the College versus its functions at other schools.
Kim wants to ensure Dartmouth has the "best structure in place" before beginning to look for Scherr's replacement as provost, he said in the e-mail.
"By agreeing to stay on, [Scherr] allows us to have his steady hand during this period of study, search and installation of the new provost," he said.
Bankert and Associate Provost Mary Gorman both said they were excited to have Scherr in the position of provost.
"Having his continuity will be a huge benefit for the president," Bankert said.
Scherr, the Mandel Family Professor of Russian, said he plans to continue teaching as a member of the Dartmouth faculty after he leaves his position in the Provost's Office. He also hopes to expand his research once a new provost is hired, he said.
The College last underwent the reaccreditation process from 1999 to 2000. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges evaluates all institutions of higher education in the region roughly every 10 years.
