UW News

October 25, 2002

Statement from UW President Richard L. McCormick

News and Information

This has been a very difficult decision for me and my family. There are few jobs in the country for which I would even consider leaving the University of Washington, and Rutgers is one of them. I thought I had made the right decision when I withdrew my name earlier, but afterwards, I felt the strong pull of returning to Rutgers, where I grew up and where I taught for sixteen years. The more I thought about my previous decision, the less right it felt, in my head and in my heart.

It is very difficult to leave the University of Washington. It is a great university, one of America’s best, and the people here have been wonderfully supportive of me and my family. I feel the administrative team and faculty have accomplished great things and set the University on a course to continue its great work in the 21st century. The University is filled with outstanding people, terrifically creative and innovative faculty, devoted staff, and brilliant students. The only thing standing in their way of accomplishing whatever they imagine is the steady decline in state funding, but I believe even that is solvable.

I want to express my thanks to everyone for their support and hope they understand my need to return home to Rutgers.
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