University President Father Edward Malloy will step down as president of Notre Dame in June 2005, the Board of Trustees announced today.
He will be replaced by Father John Jenkins, a vice president, associate provost and philosophy professor who has been on a year-long sabbatical, the Board announced.
Jenkins, who will be Notre Dame's 17th president, was elected to a five-year term.
"I thank the Board of Trustees for the tremendous honor and responsibility of leading the University of Notre Dame," Jenkins said in a statement. "I look forward to working closely with Father Malloy in preparing for a smooth transition."
The Board also named John Affleck-Graves to fill the executive vice president position that has remained vacant since Father Timothy Scully resigned a year ago. Affleck-Graves is the first layperson to hold that position in the University's history.
Jenkins, a member of the Notre Dame faculty since 1990, is a Medieval Studies and philosophy professor. He was named vice president and associate provost of the University in 2000.
He earned bachelor's and master's of arts degrees in philosophy from Notre Dame in 1976 and 1978, respectively. Jenkins earned his master of divinity degree in 1988 and holds two philosophy degrees from Oxford University.
"As Trustees, we all look forward to working with Father Jenkins," said Patrick McCartan, chair of the University's Board of Trustees, in a statement. "The superb academic credentials he brings to the leadership of Notre Dame at this time in its history will be of critical importance to realization of our aspiration to become one of the great research universities of the world with a distinctly Catholic character."
Malloy, who has served as University president since 1986, will step down after the 2004-05 academic year concludes. He will take a year-long sabbatical before returning to teaching, writing, and continuing his work as a board member of several non-profit organizations.
"I have worked with some wonderful colleagues," Malloy said in a statement, "and I am proud of what we have been able to achieve together."
"All one needs to do is to tour our campus, consult the rankings, examine the credentials of our faculty, and the outstanding qualifications of our student body to realize what he has accomplished for Notre Dame," McCartan said. "He leaves a truly remarkable record and legacy."
The Observer will continue to update this story as the day progresses.
