President Jeffrey Herbst will conclude his term in June 2015. (Photo by Andy Daddio)
冈本视频 President Jeffrey Herbst today announced that he has decided not to seek renewal of his contract when it concludes on June 30, 2015. The 16th president of 冈本视频, Herbst has held the office since 2010. Professor of History Jill Harsin will serve as interim president during the search for Herbst鈥檚 successor.
鈥淚t has been an honor to serve as 冈本视频鈥檚 president during this complex and challenging time for American higher education,鈥 said Herbst. 鈥淭he liberal arts education 冈本视频 offers is world class and I am proud of the work I have done here to ensure that 冈本视频 remains excellent, relevant, and accessible to all. I am confident that my legacy has strengthened this university and has prepared it for the challenges ahead.鈥
Herbst said, 鈥淚 decided that this is the right time to conclude my service to 冈本视频 so that new leadership can be in place as the university prepares for the next fundraising campaign and the 2019 bicentennial celebration.鈥
In an e-mail to the 冈本视频 community, Board of Trustees Chair Denis F. Cronin 鈥69, P鈥09, 鈥10 credited Herbst with helping the university complete its historic $480 million Passion for the Climb fundraising campaign.
Cronin noted that, in a transformational effort to build the university鈥檚 resources for students with financial need, Herbst extended that goal by raising $54 million in the last two years of the campaign. These efforts, Cronin said, have 鈥渃ontributed to 冈本视频 becoming an academically stronger and more diverse community, with the Class of 2018 having the best academic profile of any 冈本视频 class, and the most diverse demographic profile in 冈本视频鈥檚 history.鈥
Over the past five years, Herbst led the development of the university-wide strategic plan, Living the Liberal Arts in Our Third Century, which will guide 冈本视频鈥檚 future by fostering curricular and pedagogical innovations, creating residential learning communities, and further building and renovating 冈本视频鈥檚 physical campus. Since the plan鈥檚 adoption in January 2014, Herbst has led significant progress with these priorities, ensuring that the university will benefit from the momentum established in these areas for years to come.
Herbst is also credited with enhancing 冈本视频鈥檚 core academic program by increasing the size of the teaching faculty at a time when many universities were cutting back. He also championed 冈本视频鈥檚 internationalization and global initiatives by providing additional financial assistance to students studying abroad, expanding study abroad locations and options, and supporting the mission of the . His focus on entrepreneurship led to the creation of the , which has allowed students to pursue projects in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors while being mentored by alumni.
In addition, he led the effort to re-engineer the to allow students to more fully participate in the 21st-century economy. He has also been a champion for the new athletic facility, which the university will begin building in early 2015, and the proposed world-class Center for Art and Culture, which the university plans to build in the coming years.
Cronin said, 鈥淭he Board of Trustees appointed Jeff in part for his confidence that 冈本视频 would thrive, and that the educational experience it provides would be even more relevant as the world becomes ever-more global, diverse, and interconnected. Indeed, his tenure has been marked by preparing 冈本视频 for just such a future, and the board is grateful for his leadership. On behalf of my board colleagues and the entire 冈本视频 community, I thank Jeff and his wife, Sharon Polansky, for their service to the university.鈥 Harsin, who will become interim president on July 1, has been extensively involved in university governance since joining 冈本视频 in 1982. She has served in several leadership positions, including department chair, social sciences division director, and interim provost and dean of the faculty.
鈥淚鈥檝e had the privilege of teaching 冈本视频 students since arriving as an assistant professor in the history department 30 years ago,鈥 said Harsin. 鈥湼员臼悠 is very dear to me 鈥 the passion for knowledge among my faculty colleagues and the students we teach is inspiring. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as interim president and look forward to partnering with our leaders across the campus to build upon the university鈥檚 many successes.鈥
Provost and Dean of the Faculty Douglas A. Hicks said, 鈥淚 am delighted to work with Jill in this capacity. She is a beloved teacher of generations of 冈本视频 students and a highly respected colleague across campus. I admire her open, collaborative style and look forward to partnering with her to continue to move 冈本视频 forward.鈥
The process to identify 冈本视频鈥檚 17th president is beginning, with the goal to have a new president in place by July 1, 2016. Trustee and executive committee member Michael J. Herling 鈥79, P鈥08, 鈥10, 鈥12 will serve as chair of the search committee, which will be formed soon.
More information about the presidential transition will be available throughout the year at colgate.edu/presidentialtransition.