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University Of Akron Lays Out Plans To Replace President

The University of Akron. (Ashton Marra/ideastream)
The University of Akron. (Ashton Marra/ideastream)

The head of the University of Akron’s Board of Trustees said Thursday the process to appoint an interim president and conduct a national search for a permanent replacement for President Matthew Wilson will begin in the coming weeks.

Wilson announced last month he would step down from the position and return to the faculty of Akron’s School of Law in July.

He pointed to family and personal reasons for the change, but the announcement came just weeks after Wilson was named a finalist to lead the University of Central Florida. He did not get the job.

In a written statement to the university community, Board of Trustees Chair Roland Bauer said the board is creating a Presidential Advisory and Screening Committee that will begin meeting with constituent groups on April 12.

Those meetings, Bauer said, will include conversations about the qualities and experiences needed by a potential interim leader.

The Board intends to use a professional firm to conduct a national search for a new permanent president.

That process will include input from stakeholders on qualifications, meetings with finalists on campus, and the opportunity for groups including the Council of Deans, department chairs and Faculty Senate to discuss those finalists with the Board in executive session.

Bauer did not include a timeline for the national search, but said it would begin “soon.”