ALTOONA, Pa. -- A new year and a new opportunity has arisen for Robert Morris president Dr. Chris Howard who is set to join the Executive Leadership Team at Arizona State University.
Howard was named the eighth president of Robert Morris in 2016 following former president Gregory Dell'Omo who departed for Rider University. The university completed the largest fundraising campaign in it's 100-year history under Howard though his tenure was mired in turmoil of late.
In May, Howard announced the elimination of the men's and women's ice hockey programs as part of that fundraising campaign as the university transitioned its focus on more diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Those programs have since been reinstated after months of back and forth between Howard, the athletic department and alumni to raise the appropriate funding to bring the programs back.
Under Howard, enrollment at Robert Morris has gone down despite the on-campus growth seen in the UPMC Events Center and expansion of the John Jay Center for the School of Engineering, Math and Science.
"To say that it has been both an honor and a privilege to serve as the eighth president of Robert Morris University these past six years would be a gross understatement," Howard said in a statement released by the university.
Howard isn't the only one in his family who will now be working for Arizona State as his wife Barbara has accepted a position with the university as well. She will join the university in February as a University Fellow for nonprofit leadership.
In his new role, Howard will be an executive vice president and chief operating officer of the ASU enterprise which he will begin in February.
The university is conducting a national search for his successor and Mary Ann Rafoth has been named the interim president for the time being.
