August 19, 2010
UW Regents finalize Emmert departure
The chair of the University of Washington Board of Regents today on behalf of the full board approved a plan for the upcoming presidential transition to occur commensurate with the start of the new school year at the university. Mark Emmert, who was tabbed last April to be the new president of the NCAA , will formally leave the university Sept. 30 and Phyllis Wise, picked by the Regents to serve as interim president, will assume her duties Oct. 1.
“From the time Mark was selected by the NCAA, we anticipated this change to occur at the start of the new school year,” said Board of Regents president Herb Simon. “It makes a whole lot of sense to do it this way, in terms of who presides over the university, decisions that need to be made as the school year commences, and in representing the university to its numerous constituencies. The board reaffirmed last week its desire to have the changeover occur at this time. President Emmert agreed that this timeframe serves everyone’s interests and is certainly amenable to leaving at the end of September when the new school year begins.”
“My goal is to make the transition as successful as possible for the university,” Emmert added. “It makes good sense for Phyllis Wise to take the reins at the beginning of the new year, and I know she is ready for the task.”
A provision in Emmert’s employment contract requires six months notice in order to avoid paying the university liquidated damages for departing sooner. Under the contract, Emmert could remain in his position until Nov. 1. However, in citing mutual interests of all parties in executing a more timely and smoother transition, and acknowledging that an earlier departure saves the university additional salary expenditures, the board sought to bring the matter to conclusion without penalty.
