Brandeis University President Frederick Lawrence will step down at the end of the academic year.

Lawrence, who made the announcement Jan. 30, is serving his fifth academic year as president at the Boston-area school, the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the country.

Lisa Lynch, the current provost, has been appointed to serve as interim president, effective July 1.

In a letter to the university community, Lawrence said he was “tremendously proud of the ways Brandeis has grown and thrived” during his tenure.

Lawrence said he plans to return to full-time scholarship and teaching as a senior research scholar at Yale Law School. — jta