Jonathan Veitch announced today at the Board of Trustees’ regularly scheduled quarterly meeting that he will step down in June 2020 after a successful 11-year tenure as Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµâ€™s 15th president.
In declining an offer from the board to extend his contract, Veitch called his tenure “a rewarding experience in nearly every way—at once challenging and deeply satisfying� in a . “However, after a great deal of reflection I have concluded that it is time for me to pass the baton.�
“Few Occidental presidents have accomplished more,â€� Board Chair Susan Mallory ’76 M’78 said in , noting that only three have served longer in the college’s 132-year history. The Veitch years “put Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ on a trajectory to take full advantage of its location in the global city of Los Angeles and become the country’s preeminent urban liberal arts college.â€�
Veitch’s announcement gives trustees plenty of time to mount a thorough national search for Occidental’s next president and for a smooth transition, Mallory said. After stepping down in June 2020 Veitch will take a year-long sabbatical leave and explore the history, tradition and value of the liberal arts.
Tags