Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees selects interim president

by | Oct 12, 2022



  • Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Board of Trustees selected Stacy Volnick as the university’s interim president beginning at the turn of the calendar year 
  • Unanimously approved, Volnick will temporarily fill in for outgoing current president John Kelly, who oversaw large academic growth at the school 
  • Volnick will not apply for the permanent position

The Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Board of Trustees has selected Stacy Volnick to serve as the university’s interim president beginning Jan 1, 2023 after outgoing president John Kelly steps down.

Volnick has worked as part of FAU’s administrative staff since 1991, becoming Vice president for Administrative Affairs and Chief Administrative Officer in 2013. Prior to her appointment as interim president, Volnick served as the school’s Chief Operating Officer.

FAU stated that following her term, Volnick will not apply to be the permanent president.

“Rest assured, the university will remain in good hands after I leave office,” said Kelly. “I know this will be the case because your important work will continue under the new leadership. After all, it truly is the students, faculty, and staff who make this university so successful.”

FAU is the eighth Floridian university to undergo a presidential search since 2020, as a series of school leaders stepped down amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, and the University of North Florida have all installed new presidents this year.

Florida State University appointed Richard McCollough as its new president in 2021.

“My decision to step aside as president comes at a time that I believe is not only right for me personally, but also right for the university,” said Kelly. “My new role as University President Emeritus will afford me the time and flexibility to complete certain projects that are important to me personally, and are important to the Board of Trustees, also.”

Under Kelly, FAU has seen a jump in national academic rankings as well as a bevy of new funding for projects including a $26 million National Science Foundation grant this year to establish a new Engineering Research Center.

In the U.S. News & World Report list of “Top Public Schools,” FAU rose to number 132, up eight spots compared to last year, in the 2023 ranking of the nation’s best universities.

When Kelly assumed the presidential position in 2014, FAU was ranked 220th nationally. The nearly 100-spot jump marks the largest of Floridian public schools in that timespan.

1 Comment

  1. Anonymous

    Wish the next president will continue the efforts to move FAU into top 100 universities in the nation. Go OWLs!

 

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