Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Chancellor Robert Hemenway spent part of Monday morning talking about what he had accomplished during his 14-year tenure as chancellor. Fittingly, he was interrupted by the sound of the steam whistle.
“For those of you who aren’t familiar,” Hemenway said, “that’s the whistle.”
Hemenway brought the whistle back on earlier this semester after receiving complaints from students and alumni. The whistle hadn’t been on since the beginning of the semester in an attempt to cut costs.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway announces he will step down from his position on June 30 at a press conference in Strong Hall Monday morning. Hemenway, the University's 16th chancellor, has held the position since 1995. Hemenway said he wanted to dedicate more time to writing and teaching.
Hemenway, who has been the chancellor at the University since 1995, will step down on June 30, saying he would take time off to write a book on intercollegiate athletics and American values. He will return to teach American literature courses in fall 2010. Hemenway has taught an undergraduate American literature course each year since becoming chancellor.
“I’m not leaving this office with huge regrets or disappointments,” Hemenway said. “I’ve had a heck of a good time being chancellor, and we’ve done some fantastic things.”
The demanding schedule of a university’s chancellor finally caught up with Hemenway. After taking a year off to write a book, he will focus on teaching full-time.
“It really is a 24/7 job,” Hemenway said. “And I just came to the conclusion that it was time for me to step away from that kind of a job and do what I can to prepare the way for the next chancellor.”
Adam McGonigle, Wichita junior and student body president, said Hemenway’s resignation and state-wide budget cuts would bring the University and Student Senate into a time of transition. He said he was excited to see Hemenway explore his opportunities.
“Chancellor Hemenway is a visionary man who has been a champion for students,” McGonigle said. “He will be missed on this campus and by this student body.”
Hemenway has been chancellor during for the record enrollment of 30,102 students this fall, which a freshman class with the highest ACT scores in school history. Hemenway oversaw the distribution of more than $310 million for renovations and additions to the school’s student housing, research labs and athletics complexes.
The University also saw a 54 percent increase in minority faculty and a 33 percent increase in women faculty since Hemenway became chancellor.
Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications, has worked with previous chancellors including Gene Budig, who was the chancellor before Hemenway. She said that Hemenway made students his first priority when he became chancellor in 1995. Hemenway worked to improve the student experience at the University by opening student services offices during the lunch hour and providing more computers on campus for faculty and student use.
“He wanted every student to have the potential to have an international experience and a research experience,” Bretz said. “That dramatically impacted the quality of education students get here.”
Hemenway had a tough time picking out his favorite times during his tenure.
“One of the things I’m proudest of is the way that the University of Kansas has become one university,” Hemenway said. “We need to think of ourselves as one university. The medical center, Lawrence campus — all of it comes together as a University that everyone can be proud of.”
Hemenway leaves at a time of economic crisis but said that didn’t have any effect on the timing of his decision. He said he would work on the budget during the next seven months to help make the new chancellor’s job easier. Donna Shank, chair of the Kansas Board of Regents, said in a press release that the regents would appoint a committee to begin a national search for Hemenway’s successor.
Hemenway said he felt confident he made the University a better place than it was when he arrived.
“What the job is really all about is creating a greater university — brick by brick, step by step,” he said. “That’s the way I tried to do it, and I think we’ve had considerable success doing it that way. My recommendation to the next chancellor would be to adopt that motto, too.”
— — Edited by Lauren Keith
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