Dear Colleagues,
I’ve had the opportunity to speak with President Saunders and know her decision to resign was made with much thought and reflection. Her years of service have made a lasting impact.
I appreciate the President’s willingness to take part in a smooth transition. Over this brief period of time, I have enjoyed working with her and look forward to continuing in our efforts.
The University of West Florida Board of Trustees will now turn our focus to a search for a new President.
As Chair of the Board, it will be top of mind that we are in a pivotal moment in Florida higher education. It’s critical that we focus on students’, academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and the free exchange of ideas.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Matthews, Chair
UWF Board of Trustees
“It’s critical that we focus on students’, academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and the free exchange of ideas.” Words of the current Chair. Hmm sounds good, but , now let’s see if they can live up,to that. The Chairman has not started out well by allowing a Board member to browbeat the current President who was following the laws in existence at the time. Dr Saunders was one of the two best Presidents the university has ever had. This Board have dug a themselves a hole that will, be hard to,climb our of.
Students will suffer due to the Governor’s and this new board’s shameless political posturing.
That phrase jumped out at me when I read the email earlier.
We don’t want to be part of their pivotal moment for higher ed in Florida. We were doing great and having a moment of our own. The governor has amplified problems that really don’t exist so that he can turn UWF into his personal laboratory and ultimately add a new line to his political resume. And in the process, he ended the career of a good person and outstanding leader without a second thought. This is such a transparently self-serving maneuver.