Rodin to step down in 2004

University President Judith Rodin announced on Friday, June 20, that she will be stepping down from her post at the end of June 2004. Rodin will remain at Penn, however, in a part-time capacity in the newly-created position of Chancellor, working on fundraising and capital development. "I've accomplished everything I set out to do," she said in an interview Friday. A presidential search committee, overseen by University Board of Trustees Chairman James Riepe, will be formed this September to find a replacement. Riepe said an interim president would likely not be necessary. "We are most appreciative that Dr. Rodin gave us a year's notice so we would not have to do that because I think that really has a way of slowing the process and the transition down," Riepe said. Under her tenure, Penn has seen dramatic growth, including a rise from 16th place to fourth in U.S. News & World Report's 2002 rankings, a tripling of the endowment and more than doubling the amount of federally sponsored research. "We have achieved enormous amounts with the Agenda for Excellence and that strategic plan has been completed," Rodin said, adding that with a new strategic plan currently under development, it was time to step down. "It's a big and long plan, and I think it requires sustained leadership over that next period and that's an eight-to-nine year period. I think that convinced me in looking at it that this was such a good time," she said, adding that the prospect of beginning a new five-year contract in 2004 helped convince her new leadership was necessary. However, Rodin's expertise will still be available to her successor while she serves as Chancellor. "It's a way to have some continuity," Rodin said. "I've built relationships, I have a depth of experience after ten years that the trustees think will be useful to them and frankly, to my successor and I'd like to be able to be helpful." Rodin added that she will also remain on faculty. Rodin became the first female president of an Ivy League institution when she took office in 1994. "I'm most proud about the academic transformation that we've made," Rodin said of her accomplishments, noting the creation of the College House system, initiatives in West Philadelphia and the addition of several hubs such as the Kelly Writers House among the achievements she is most proud of. Rodin's departure makes Penn the seventh Ivy League school have its president step down in recent years. Jeffrey Lehman was named president of Cornell University earlier this year, while Columbia University's president, Lee Bollinger, was appointed last year. In 2001, Lawrence Summers, Shirley Tilghman and Ruth Simmons were elected presidents of Harvard, Princeton and Brown universities, respectively. Other top administrators who have left Penn recently include former Executive Vice President John Fry, Annenberg School Dean Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Dean of the College Richard Beeman. "I have no regrets about stepping down... because I have a busy year ahead and I expect to be president until June 30, 2004, and there's a lot to do and a lot more time to do it," Rodin said.Check back on dailypennsylvanian.com as this story develops.

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