Washington State University Professor Calls Self "The Guy Who Was Shoved," Returns to School Sheepish

Think meeting outside by the flagpole after school is exclusive to elementary school? Maybe so, but evidently the higher education corollary is shoving in the hallway. Steven L. Hoch, a Washington State University history professor, became provost of the school in August and left shortly after following a shoving match in the school hallway after a staff meeting. Now he’s back and calling himself the victim.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Steven L. Hoch, who became provost of Washington State University’s flagship in August and took leave for undisclosed reasons just seven weeks later, is returning to the Pullman campus as a history professor, The Seattle Times reported.

Until Friday, when the university announced his return, Mr. Hoch’s departure had been shrouded in mystery. The university has given no details of the circumstances of his leaving or his return. But sources told The Seattle Times that he had quarreled with other senior administrators over his belief that they should report to him. Tensions erupted into an argument at a staff meeting, followed by a physical altercation in a hallway, the newspaper said.

Mr. Hoch had declined to comment to the Times last week for an article about the escalating tensions, but on Friday he said he wanted to make clear that he “was the guy who was shoved” during the altercation.

Who knows whether Hoch was the shover or shovee? All that matters is that “the guy who was shoved” is back and separating himself from William Shanahan, the guy that brought it on at the 2008 CEDA. And not just because that guy has bad hair.

To add insult to injury (no word on the shoving injuries has been reported), Hoch's salary was decreased by about 50K.