Transition in Academic Leadership
Friday, July 22, 2011
Transition in Academic Leadership
To the University Community:
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Earlier this week, we announced that Donald R. Bobbitt, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has been named president of the University of Arkansas System. He will be leaving UT Arlington to assume his new position sometime later this fall.
This is a tremendous honor and opportunity for Dr. Bobbitt — a career-defining moment. We are all genuinely pleased and proud that he has been named to this prestigious position, and we are grateful to have benefitted from his remarkable leadership for the past three years.
Now we must turn to the task of determining the next chapter of academic leadership at UT Arlington. Many of you attended today’s Town Hall meeting for faculty and staff, where Dr. Bobbitt and I had the opportunity to discuss next steps. We both stressed our commitment to a seamless transition and maintaining our current trajectory in the weeks and months ahead.
While an exact departure date has not yet been set, we anticipate that Dr. Bobbitt will continue in his position here at UT Arlington for the next several months, possibly through October. He and I, and our outstanding leadership team, will work closely to maintain our focus on key projects and priorities. With the fall semester just weeks away, our mantra will be “completion and transition.”
As we anticipate the change in leadership, I have been consulting with numerous people around campus this week. I appreciate and value the input I have received from deans, vice presidents, faculty members, staff, students, and alumni. I will continue to seek your advice and counsel in the days ahead.
I expect to have a more definitive idea of our transition plans within the next week or so.
If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on this subject, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at jds@uta.edu.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to UT Arlington.
Sincerely,
James D. Spaniolo
President