UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of President Dale Whittaker at an emergency meeting Thursday morning.
The Board also appointed Vice President Thad Seymour, Jr. as interim president effective immediately, and voted to engage the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges to assist with a search for an interim president until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Whittaker, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 fifth president, offered his resignation on Tuesday, along with a statement to the campus community. He also sent a letter to trustees that laid out a path to a renewed relationship with the Legislature.
麻豆精品 S淔lorida needs a UCF that serves our students and community without fear of what the future may bring, 麻豆精品 S� Whittaker wrote. 麻豆精品 S淕reat universities and our state depend on trust and transparency with a Legislature that shares in its values and mission. 麻豆精品 S�
The Board 麻豆精品 S檚 acceptance of the resignation is subject to a settlement agreement with President Whittaker that will be determined in the weeks ahead. The agreement will be negotiated by the Chairman and based on recommendations from the Board 麻豆精品 S檚 Nominating and Governance Committee.
The Board 麻豆精品 S檚 action followed more than 90 minutes of public comments.
Board Chairman Robert Garvy praised Whittaker 麻豆精品 S檚 character and integrity, and his effort to correct the problems that led to the misspending of funds.
麻豆精品 S淣evertheless, President Whittaker stated in his offer to resign his presidency that sometimes the finest leadership decisions are those that entrust future leadership to others. He has concluded that for UCF to heal wounds new leadership is required. Our loss will be some other institution 麻豆精品 S檚 great gain, 麻豆精品 S� Garvy said. 麻豆精品 S淒ale Whittaker has demonstrated great courage and sacrifice for the students, faculty and administration at UCF. I believe we should honor his thoughtful and thoroughly considered offer to resign in the hope that the relationship between UCF and the Florida Legislature can be renewed. 麻豆精品 S�
Other trustees also praised Whittaker.
麻豆精品 S淒ale Whittaker is a great leader, 麻豆精品 S� Trustee Alex Martins聽 麻豆精品 S�01MA said. 麻豆精品 S淗e is a leader of high character, integrity, a visionary, and as we 麻豆精品 S檝e heard, incredibly innovative. We 麻豆精品 S檝e been very fortunate to have him as president of this university. Above being a great leader, he understands it 麻豆精品 S檚 about this great institution and not about Dale Whittaker. 麻豆精品 S�
Three trustees聽 麻豆精品 S� trustee John Sprouls, faculty representative William Self and student representative and SGA President Josh Bolo帽a 麻豆精品 S� voted to reject the resignation.
Seymour, vice president for partnerships and chief innovation officer, joined UCF in Fall 2015 to help lead the university 麻豆精品 S檚 Collective Impact Strategic Planning process. He was then appointed vice provost for UCF Downtown, a campus that will open in August.
Prior to coming to UCF, Seymour led strategic planning and business development for Lake Nona Medical City as senior vice president at Tavistock Development Company. He holds a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree from Dartmouth College, a master 麻豆精品 S檚 and doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Seymour 麻豆精品 S檚 service as interim president will conclude when a long-term interim president takes office. The Board of Trustees 麻豆精品 S� decision on an interim president is also subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state 麻豆精品 S檚 12 public universities.
The Board also voted to continue with Trustee Garvy serving as chairman until July 1.
