For Release
Jan. 18, 2005

 Citadel board announces transition plan

Billy Jenkinson, chairman of The Citadel Board of Visitors, announced today that the board has developed a plan to find new leadership at The Citadel while maintaining the momentum that Major General John Grinalds has created. Grinalds, The Citadel’s 18th president, has announced that he will step down August 1, 2005.

In a called meeting Tuesday afternoon, the board determined a strategy to launch a nationwide search for the new president.

“This will be a seamless transition,” Jenkinson said. “We have a first-class administration, faculty and staff in place and we will maintain the momentum that General Grinalds has created as we look for the best possible individual to lead The Citadel in 2006.”

The board plans to select the presidential search committee, approve the name of an interim president, if needed, and agree on the timetable for all the transitions at its meeting on February 5.

The board members are unified in the type of person they are looking for according to Jenkinson. “We will be looking for someone who shares our vision and can move forward with our strategic initiatives,” Jenkinson said. “But first and foremost, we must find someone who exemplifies the core values and leadership qualities that are at the heart of a Citadel education.”
Jenkinson said that the next president must have a commitment to advancing the Krause Initiative on Leadership and Ethics. The Krause Initiative promotes leadership in all walks of life by instilling core values in a disciplined academic environment.

Other qualities the next president must possess include a commitment to maintaining high academic and military standards, and to understanding of the history and traditions of The Citadel.

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