Letter to the Community
May 8, 2009
As a friend and supporter of the University of Evansville, I want you to be among the first to know that earlier today, I notified the UE Board of Trustees and campus community of my plans to retire as University president, effective May 31, 2010.
If you are receiving this message more than once, I apologize. I wanted to make certain that our important UE constituencies hear about my retirement first hand from me.
For more than 4 decades, students have been the center of my work in higher education. It started as an undergraduate at Trinity University; it continued with my first job out of graduate school as the director of student activities at Southern Methodist University in 1970. And it came full-circle last year, when we opened the state-of-the-art, 92,000-square-foot William L. Ridgway University Center at the heart of the UE campus. By my side through it all has been my wife, Sally, who has been an integral part of my vocation.
Looking back on my tenure at UE, I am pleased by what we have been able to accomplish – from opening the new university center; to constructing the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration building as the first LEED®-certified “green” building in Vanderburgh County; to our largest-ever capital campaign, the $80 million U•Envision 2010 campaign, which I intend to see through to its conclusion. I am very proud of what has happened, and so grateful to people like you who generously support this great institution.
In the next several weeks, our Board of Trustees will appoint a Presidential Search Committee, according to the University’s established procedures. The members of that committee will represent the wide variety of constituencies of the University; among them are Trustees, faculty, administrators, students, alumni, the United Methodist Church, and the community. The Board of Trustees has the responsibility for the final choice and selection of the next President.
In the meantime, I am looking forward to my final academic year at the University of Evansville. In the coming year, we will work diligently as a University to complete the U•Envision 2010 campaign, to maintain our status as one of the top-tier institutions in the Midwest, and to continue providing our students with life-transforming educational experiences that prepare them to engage the world as informed, ethical, and productive citizens.
Thank you so much for the role you play in ensuring the success of the University of Evansville, and I look forward to continuing our relationship over the coming year.
Sincerely,
Stephen Jennings
President
University of Evansville
