![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news\/images\/illustrations\/williamsheadshot.jpg\")
LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014R. Owen Williams will step down as president of Transylvania University after the 2013-14 academic year, Chairman of the Board of Trustees William T. Young Jr. announced this afternoon in a meeting with faculty and staff. <\/p>\nLEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014R. Owen Williams will step down as president of Transylvania University after the 2013-14 academic year, Chairman of the Board of Trustees William T. Young Jr. announced this afternoon in a meeting with faculty and staff. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Board of Trustees fully supports Dr. Williams\u2019s decision to continue to lead Transylvania University through the upcoming school year,\u201d Young said. \u201cIt is with regret that we accept his resignation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young said that a national search for Williams\u2019s successor will be initiated later this year.<\/p>\n
Williams came to Transylvania in August 2010, after a national search to find a successor for Charles L. Shearer, who had served as president for 27 years. <\/p>\n
During his tenure, Williams has led the development of an ambitious strategic plan, Transylvania 2020\u2014a comprehensive roadmap that encompasses enrollment growth, expansion of campus facilities and enhancements to academic and student life programs. He supported the development of an innovative August term for all new incoming students and expanded the size of campus by 20 percent. <\/p>\n
Other initiatives under Williams\u2019s leadership include equalizing faculty salaries along gender lines; increasing starting salaries for assistant professors; making pre-tenure sabbaticals available for faculty; increasing the number of faculty; adding an associate dean position; approving the addition of varsity lacrosse and equestrian teams and competitive dance\/cheer teams; establishing new staff positions in diversity and inclusion, admissions and development; increasing emphasis on student retention; starting the Creative Intelligence Lectures Series and John Marshall Harlan Lecture Series;\u00a0 and the planning and start of construction of a major new athletics complex on West Fourth Street. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Young also announced that Transylvania will hire an interim dean of the college to serve for the next two academic years, 2013-14 and 2014-15. A national search for a permanent dean of the college will be conducted after the new president is chosen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014R. Owen Williams will step down as president of Transylvania University after the 2013-14 academic year, Chairman of the Board of Trustees William T. Young Jr. announced this afternoon in a meeting with faculty and staff. \u201cThe Board of Trustees fully supports Dr. Williams\u2019s decision to continue to lead Transylvania University through the upcoming school year,\u201d Young said. \u201cIt is with regret that we accept his resignation.\u201d Young said that a national search for Williams\u2019s successor will be initiated later this year. Williams came to Transylvania in August 2010, after a national search to find a successor for Charles L. Shearer, who had served as president for 27 years. During his tenure, Williams has led the development of an ambitious strategic plan, Transylvania 2020\u2014a comprehensive roadmap that encompasses enrollment growth, expansion of campus facilities and enhancements to academic and student life programs. He supported the development of an innovative August term for all new incoming students and expanded the size of campus by 20 percent. Other initiatives under Williams\u2019s leadership include equalizing faculty salaries along gender lines; increasing starting salaries for assistant professors; making pre-tenure sabbaticals available for faculty; increasing the number of faculty; adding an associate dean position; approving the addition of varsity lacrosse and equestrian teams and competitive dance\/cheer teams; establishing new staff positions in diversity and inclusion, admissions and development; increasing emphasis on student retention; starting the Creative Intelligence Lectures Series and John Marshall Harlan Lecture<\/p>\n