The timing is not ideal, but it was clear from day one that she would be here no longer than 5 years (which is the average length of a university president these days), no one at UT is surprised she is moving on to next challenge. She was a great hire and UT made huge improvements last 4 years, the ProMedica agreement was a huge game changer for the College of Medicine, Nursing and other medical sciences. State funding, enrollment challenges are the norm in Ohio and many other places, not unique to UT. To think she alone could fix all of these is unfair, in my view she did the best possible with the hand she was dealt (BOT was not completely forthcoming with her during interview processes regarding the financial challenges that existed in 2016).

With a national search UT should be aiming again to bring in a new leader with experience and expertise, but it is pretty naive to think that with her departure and a new President that the challenges (especially budget and UTMC) are doing to be any easier for the next person to fix, especially when they arrive in 2021 and see what is left standing in terms of staffing, revenues etc... after FY21 and the impacts from coronavirus.

And one quick look at UNCC clearly shows (even with the challenges they also face from coronavirus), it is a much sound and stable institution with great potential for future growth, and provides her a springboard (at age 56) to jump to a major institution or system in next 4-5 years as that has always clearly been her ambition. Personally I wish her well.