“The Board of Directors is grateful for his service and leadership, and for all that he and Sharon brought to Wittenberg and Springfield. Mike has poured his heart and soul into this special place, stewarded it through a global pandemic, and led with integrity,” the email stated. “The Board thanks Mike for his years of dedication and service to our beloved university.”
The letter did not specify whether the move was Frandsen’s choice, or whether the board asked him to leave. Earlier this year, Wittenberg announced it would cut dozens of employee jobs, including two dozen faculty, and would end their music and language programs, as well as some sports, amid budget problems.
In the Thursday email, the board pointed to Frandsen’s accomplishments, citing increased investment in student success and mental health, expanded experiential learning opportunities, the new Connections Curriculum, a record-setting comprehensive fundraising campaign, and completion of the Health, Wellness, and Athletics restoration and expansion project.
“What we do at Wittenberg matters, and right now, we all need to do the best we can for this university and the students we serve. The board is committed to ensuring that we thrive and is already discussing the next steps in this important leadership transition,” the board said.
The letter said the board has begun searching for its next president by forming a Presidential Search Committee that will include representatives from the faculty, alumni, student body, staff and board of directors. The committee will work in partnership with a search consultant, Storbeck Search, to find the 16th president.
The board said they fully realize how “critical” this decision is, and that they will work with Frandsen and the community to provide a smooth transition.
Frandsen, born in Athens, is the university’s 15th president. He spent more than 10 years in corporate finance before joining higher education at Oberlin College and Albion College in Michigan. Frandsen and his wife, Sharon, have two grown daughters, Janie and Kate.
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