UPDATE, 9:35 a.m.: Updated below with press release from Humboldt State.

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Humboldt State University President Rollin Richmond has just announced that he will step down from his post at the end of the school year, ending his sometimes tumultuous 11-year tenure as the school’s top administrator.

Richmond took over from longtime president Alistair McCrone in May 2002, at a time when the university was reeling from the John Sterns scandal. At that time, when university morale was at its lowest, Richmond, a geneticist and academic himself, was seen as a breath of fresh air, someone who could move the university past both the Sterns affair and the sclerotic McCrone administration more generally.

He promised new openness and engagement with university staff and students, and with the community at large. One of his first acts was to end a simmering feud between HSU and City of Arcata over the design of a new Behavioral and Social Sciences building. Breaking with McCrone’s heavy-handed style, Richmond went back to the city and came up with a new design that was not only mutually acceptable but showcased the green values of the town.

But as he started to face his new challenges, his popularity on campus started to wane. Under pressure from the California State University system to increase enrollment, and also under scrutiny from accreditation agencies, Richmond pushed through ambitious plans to remake the campus’ image and change its focus. He highlighted HSU’s programs in the natural sciences and the arts, relegating other programs to second-tier status. He downgraded the university’s traditional mission as a teaching college and compelled faculty to focus on original research and academic publication. Several popular professors were forced out. The Faculty Senate gave him a vote of no confidence. The openness and transparency his administration heralded, in the early days, were less heralded.

Still, Richmond leaves behind a university in relatively good shape. Accreditation is no longer a problem. HSU now has a defined place and focus within the California State University system, along with several brand-name professors who are leaders in their field and several new research centers. The university’s physical plant is forever altered: It has hundreds of new housing units. Whatever you think of the Spanish Mission architecture Richmond has favored, in emulation of iconic Founders’ Hall, the university is now a more well defined place. It looks more like a university. And HSU now plays a larger role in Humboldt County politics, culture and society than it had in the past, which befits its economic impact on the area.

Richmond’s successor has not yet been named.

Message from Richmond to Humboldt State staff and students follows:

Dear Campus Community:

I write to inform you that I have decided to retire at the end of this academic year. I have enjoyed my years serving you and believe that we have made real progress at the university over my years of leadership, despite the state’s economic struggles.

Over the last eleven years, together we have made substantial improvements in our curricula, shared governance and physical facilities. All of these changes have resulted in better experiences for our students, faculty and staff. Our service to our community is widely recognized as a most important contribution.

Formal announcement of my retirement will be made at the CSU Board of Trustees later today and a public announcement will be issued shortly after. In coming weeks, the Chancellor and Board of Trustees will share information about the process for selecting a new president.

I believe this university presents a unique opportunity for individuals interested in academic administration. I am confident that our Trustees and Chancellor will be able to attract a new President who will appreciate the successful initiatives created by our students, staff and faculty and be anxious to help you mold the next century for Humboldt State University.

Sincerely,

Rollin Richmond

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Press release from Humboldt State:

HSU President Rollin Richmond to Retire

Rollin Richmond, who has served as President at Humboldt State University for nearly 12 years, has decided to retire at the end of the 2013-14 academic year.

President Richmond shared his plans in a message to the campus community Wednesday morning. The news was also shared this morning at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach.

“Together we have made substantial improvements in our curricula, shared governance and physical facilities,” Richmond wrote in his campus message. “All of these changes have resulted in better experiences for our students, faculty and staff. Our service to our community is widely recognized as a most important contribution.”

In coming weeks, the Chancellor and Board of Trustees will share information about the process for selecting a new president.

Richmond is the sixth President to have led Humboldt State. His announcement comes as Humboldt State celebrates its Centennial Year, and as the campus is finally seeing some reinvestment by the state after many years of dramatic budget cuts to higher education.

President Richmond arrived on campus in 2002, and was immediately impressed by the high level of campus involvement and commitment to social justice he found among students. He has frequently described Humboldt State students as fundamentally different than others he has encountered, in that they are so focused on making a difference in the world.

Over the years, Richmond has worked to involve students in campus decision-making. He has strongly supported student-led efforts to make changes, such as creation of the Humboldt Energy Independence Fund. Richmond has also worked with many students individually, frequently serving as a mentor or taking a personal interest in assisting students facing personal challenges.

Richmond has pushed the campus to diversify, and students from underrepresented groups now make up 31 percent of the student body. That is up from 13 percent a decade ago.

During Richmond’s time at HSU, the campus has placed increasing emphasis on research by faculty and students. He has stressed that such research complements teaching and enriches the student experience. He has also promoted the use of new teaching approaches, including use of technology, to improve student learning.

Beyond campus, Richmond worked to expand research opportunities across the California State University system. He was instrumental in gaining research funding for CSU campuses through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and he has contributed to CSU system efforts like CSUPERB (CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology), COAST (Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology), and the Agricultural Research Initiative. He has served as the CSU representative on the California Council for Science and Technology.

President Richmond has also focused on enhancing the university’s relationship with the community. He frequently attends government meetings and community events, and he eagerly joins efforts to help children and improve the local economy. He has supported many efforts on campus to develop partnerships in the community, including programs to seek grant support, assist with business development and conduct policy research. Many observers credit Richmond for town-gown relations that are the strongest in decades. In addition, he has focused attention on the need to encourage alumni and others to support the university. He established a new Advancement Foundation, and under his leadership the campus endowment has more than doubled over the last decade. In 2006, the university established its first endowed chair – the Kenneth L. Fisher Chair in Redwood Forest Ecology.

Richmond helped steward Humboldt State through many years of state budget cuts, including the severe reductions during the most recent recession. At the same time, he was able to gain state funding for substantial physical improvements to the campus. Most notably, the campus completed the Behavioral and Social Sciences classroom building, the Kinesiology and Athletics Building, and the College Creek Apartments.

Prior to coming to Humboldt State, Richmond was Provost and Professor at Iowa State University, and he previously served as a distinguished faculty member and researcher at numerous institutions. His research has been in the area of evolutionary biology. He won grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, and he has published more than 80 articles in his field. Richmond earned his bachelor’s degree in Zoology from San Diego State University and his doctorate in Genetics from The Rockefeller University in New York.

Rollin and Ann Richmond plan to continue living in Humboldt County, and to remain involved in efforts to help children and strengthen the community. They also plan to spend more time visiting with their grandchildren.