(Host) University of Vermont President Daniel Mark Fogel announced plans Wednesday to retire in the summer of 2012 after a decade leading the state’s best-known university.
VPR’s Jane Lindholm has more.
(Lindholm) President Fogel says 10 years is the right amount of time to be a university president.
(Fogel) "I think it’s right or me to leave UVM when we’re still seen as on the rise and it’s our best chances of continuing the sustained trajectory that’s been so strong at UVM over the last decade. The best chances to create the ideal opportunity for a model succession."
(Lindholm) UVM Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Cioffi thanked Fogel for his leadership of the university-and for the timing of his announcement.
(Cioffi) "By and large universities have not done transition well, and frankly UVM has not done it all that well over the years. And the fact that Dan’s giving us this opportunity over 15 months to do a smooth seamless transition is a great opportunity for us."
(Lindholm) Fogel’s tenure has been marked by a building boom on campus, as well as tension with faculty who chafed under recent austerity budgets. But Fogel says he’s proud of the relationship he’s built with the faculty and staff at UVM.
(Fogel) "There are always some theatrics and some real passions around issues between what have now become ‘labor and management.’ But the truth is it’s been a pretty cordial relationship and the fact that our faculty salaries are now competitive at the medians for public doctoral universities and they were really at the bottom of the scales nationally when I arrived is a joint achievement."
(Lindholm) Building projects during Fogel’s tenure were highlighted by construction of the new Davis Center on Main Street at the entrance to Burlington-a large student center complete with ballrooms, a bookstore, and student offices. The university says expansion in the last nine years totals more than 1 million square feet.
Over the next six to eight weeks, Trustee Chairman Cioffi says the Board will be forming a search committee for a new president. They expect to have a successor named in the first quarter of 2012 to be ready to take over on July 1st.
(Cioffi)"We owe it to this institution to really look far and wide to make sure we come out with, frankly, another Dan Fogel of nine years ago and find that next great leader for this institution because I don’t think Vermont can be successful without a successful UVM. And, vice versa, UVM can’t be successful without a successful Vermont."
(Lindholm) Fogel says he won’t be a lame duck president for the next 15 months. He’s going to be working on budget challenges, union contracts and endowment campaigns.
Then, after taking a year off to write a few books, he’ll be back at the university teaching English and, he says, helping the university in whatever ways he can.
For VPR news, I’m Jane Lindholm.