In 1999, the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., agreed to become the president of Creighton University, setting a personal goal of a seven-year term. Now, after almost 11 years, Schlegel has announced his retirement.
“It was very hard to make [the decision] because I’m very attached to this place,” Schlegel said. “I’ve given a decade of incredible high energy to create the Creighton we wanted. I’m very attached to my students; I’m going to find that part very hard to disengage, lots of students in particular.”
Schlegel, who said he’d been working on the choice to retire for about a year, came to the decision during his early summer retreat, feeling that “it is the right time to find a second career and for Creighton to get some new direction in leadership.”
In order to find a new president, a Presidential Search Committee – composed of Creighton Jesuits, faculty, staff, alumni and students – was formed. The decision will be announced at noon today.
The committee has announced criteria for its search for a new president. Its list is separated into four categories: academics, leadership, professional characteristics and personal attributes. It states the board is specifically looking to fill the position with a sitting university president and member of the Society of Jesus, although if no candidates can be found who meet these requirements the board will look outside of the Jesuit community.
Although Schlegel still has almost nine months to interact with students and faculty on campus before the academic year ends, he said the experience was something he’d never had before.
“It is a bit surreal knowing that this is the last Sept. 3 or last Mass of the Holy Spirit that I [presided over] on Wednesday. My last December graduation,” Schlegel said. “There is a finality to a lot of this. At this point its not cumulative; it’s day by day.
“Come graduation day it’ll be my farewell. I’ll probably be more of a basket case than some of the graduating seniors.”
Schlegel has not decided what he will be doing come July 2011 when his term officially ends, although he plans on knowing more in November. He does know he will find something that fits his life.
“I have options – higher education, international mission of the Jesuits in Rome and other places,
pastoral campus ministry,” Schlegel said. “I can’t walk the beaches or climb mountains for the rest of my life. I have to get a day job.
“It’s an enviable position. I know at the end of the day, I’ll have something to do.”
Although he may have just presided over his last Mass of the Holy Spirit, Schlegel has no intention of taking it easy his last academic year, stating he is “very focused this last year.”
On his list of things to get accomplished is fundraising for student scholarships and establishing an endowment for faculty compensation. He would also like to get the Board of Directors’ approval for a new sophomore residence hall.
Out of his time at Creighton, Schlegel said he was most proud of the graduates and the faculty that teach them, especially of the 93 percent of 2010 alumni who have jobs or are currently attending graduate school.
“We have a great combo of students who succeed and a sense of community they build and direction faculty give them,” Schlegel said.
Schlegel did admit to not accomplishing everything he set out to achieve upon becoming president, however.
“I wish we had been a little more successful in faculty compensation,” Schlegel said. “I think we should have been more attentive to the library — We made roads in all of them, but didn’t complete them.”
Even without accomplishing everything he wanted to, Schlegel admitted to being proud of the accomplishments Creighton made during his tenure.
“Overall it’s been a resounding successful decade,” Schlegel said. “I find a little self-serving, but it’s been a remarkable decade for the university — You get up in the morning, get your job done and go back to bed. It’s cumulative and it pays off.”