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. His pay, determined by a formula based on his $300,000 salary as provost, will be $245,000. —Charles Huckabee