A note from the Editor:
What follows is a transcript of an announcement Saint Rose President R. Mark Sullivan sent on the morning of June 24, 2011 via e-mail. Sullivan has been an important figure within the Saint Rose community and his departure will influence our campus greatly. In the effort to have his words reach the greatest number of students we are re-posting his announcement here.
Ian Benjamin
Executive Editor
______________________________
June 24, 2011
Pardon the intrusion into your relaxing late-June morning with this announcement. Some of you will be surprised by what I am about to say, so I will jump right into it. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees earlier this morning, I announced that I will step down as President at the end of my current contract, which is August 31, 2012.
Ever since I decided to move in this direction, I have been struggling to come up with the right words to explain my intentions.
I have loved every minute serving as President of our remarkable college and I will surely miss my life as president once my term of office expires in fourteen months. When I accepted the presidency in March of 1996, I remember commenting at the time that Saint Rose was a lot stronger than many, from both within and beyond the College boundaries, gave it credit. It possessed strong academic programs, dedicated faculty and staff, strong ties to the local community and a very supportive and generous Board of Trustees.
Fifteen years later, it is a universally accepted fact that The College of Saint Rose is much stronger reputationally, academically, financially and physically than it was in 1996. This, of course, is attributed to the hard work and dedication of everyone who is part of the Saint Rose community. It will be up to others to cite significant examples of our growth in size and quality during my tenure, yet I hope you all agree that together we have developed into an outstanding institution of higher education.
Of course, the ultimate litmus test supporting this observation is the success attained by our graduates who have been fortunate to develop their multiple talents while studying at Saint Rose. Without a doubt, the most fulfilling commentary on our success is found in the hundreds of letters and e-mails I’ve received over the years thanking me for all the work you’ve done to shape their success.
We are a community that takes great pride in working together to live our mission every day. It’s no wonder that in a couple of weeks, The Chronicle of Higher Education will once again designate the College as a “Great Place to Work” for the fourth year in a row, perhaps the only college in the country to receive this honor four years in a row. As Sr. Char Bloom mentioned so eloquently at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon last week honoring her , “we are a community of excellence tempered by joy.”
In my situation, the “health event” that occurred in my life last September may have made my decision a bit easier, but it is not the primary reason for phasing down.
It just feels like the right time. The College is in a very strong position and I am progressing, every day, toward what I hope will be a full recovery. This is largely attributable to the endless messages of support and encouragement from all of you.
When Ellen Goodman wrote her last syndicated column on January 1, 2010, she talked about transitions while never using the “R” word. She said, “transition involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry; that we are moving on rather than moving out.”
In many respects, I feel the same way. After taking an oft-postponed sabbatical, I will teach courses in the Lally School of Education and perhaps in other areas of the College as opportunities arise. I will continue to work on issues and projects related to the role of colleges and universities in improving the plight of urban educational school systems.
For certain, Kathy and I will spend more time with each other and with our children and grandchildren. As my seven-year old grandson Charlie said a few days ago, “more time for whiffle ball in the backyard, Grandpa.” Of course, with my erratic swing, it may have to be T-ball for awhile.
Without question, Kathy and I will always be very connected to Saint Rose. It is our home, and the community that we love and cherish.
Albert Einstein once said, “I must be willing to give up what I am to become what I will be.” I don’t quite know what I will be in the full sense of Einstein’s observation, but I know what I am today – deeply blessed to have had the incredible opportunity to serve as your president for 16 years – and one who is looking forward with great enthusiasm to the next fourteen months of hard work with all of you, my friends and colleagues at Saint Rose. We have many tasks and challenges on the docket for next year, including the implementation of the first year of a new strategic plan; the construction and opening of Centennial Hall, and fundraising and construction related to the new Huether School of Business.
May each of you enjoy some rest and relaxation this summer and as the Irish Blessing says so well, “may God hold each and every one of you in the palm of His hand.”
Thank you very much.
R. Mark Sullivan
