After almost 34 years at the University, including 17 years as president or provost, I have decided to leave my position at the end of this spring semester or at any time before then that the Regents and Chancellor Langenberg deem appropriate. Following my departure, I will assume the position of president of Ohio State University.

   As you can imagine, this decision was not made easily. It does not reflect a feeling on my part that there is somewhere I would rather be than College Park. To a large extent it is based on my sense that, regardless of any other considerations, I have served as a senior officer of this university for about as long as anyone should hold such positions at a single institution. Whether this year or in the next few years, the time has come when I believe the university would be better served by allowing a new president to build on the impressive base of excellence and enormous momentum we have at College Park. Despite these feelings, I was not looking for another position. The approach from Ohio State came suddenly and unexpectedly. The more Patty and I thought about the attractive offer Ohio State made us, however, the more we began to feel that a move at this time made sense for us and for this institution.

   Given our deep and enduring affection for this university and the people that make up its community, there would never be a good time for us to leave Maryland. Among many other things, I will regret not being the president that cuts the ribbon on the new Maryland Center for the Performing Arts or participates in the impressive accomplishments that the future surely holds in store for the University of Maryland. Even more important, Patty and I will miss greatly the regular contact with the wonderful friends and colleagues we have here, many of whom we have known for most of our time at Maryland.

   But in another sense, this is a good time for me to leave the presidency. Because of the effort put forth by many people, the recognition of the university as a place of academic excellence has never been greater nor its prospects for future advancement brighter. For this reason, I am confident that the search for a new president at this time will attract an exceptional pool of candidates.

   I want to emphasize that I will continue in my current position for much if not all of the spring semester and during this period I will continue to work with the same commitment and passion for this university that I have for the past 34 years. In the coming months, I will have an opportunity to express my personal thanks to many of you for the extraordinary support you have given me as president and provost of this great university. But for now, I want everyone to know that the friendships and memories Patty and I have developed here will remain with us for the rest of our lives and that there will never be an institution for which we hold greater affection nor a community of people to whom we are more devoted.

Brit Kirwan

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