University of Akron President Matthew Wilson will step down from the position after two years leading the university.
According to a press release issued Thursday, Wilson will return to his role on the faculty of the UA School of Law on July 31.
Chair of the University Board of Trustees Roland Bauer said the board will meet with representatives of the university community “in the very near future” to name an interim president.
“[President Wilson] has put in place a number of initiatives that help distinguish UA and have moved us in the right direction,” Bauer said. “We respect his decision and wish him and his family well in this next chapter of their lives.”
In February, the Board of Trustees at the University of Central Florida announced Wilson was among the finalists to take over as president of the Orlando institution. He said his interest came from years he spent living and working in central Florida.
In a letter to the UA campus, Wilson said he has had extensive conversations about what the UCF position meant for the University of Akron. Earlier this month, UCF chose another candidate for the leadership position.
Thursday, Wilson said he and his family have “tirelessly committed” themselves to the betterment and success of UA, but it has been a demanding position to hold while his son battled a strain of pediatric cancer.
He said both personal and family considerations led to the decision to step down.
“Over the next four months, my efforts to ensure UA’s ongoing success and a smooth transition will continue in full force, especially as we continue to implement new initiatives,” Wilson said. “It is an honor to be here at UA.”
He said he will take a salary cut when he returns to the UA law school faculty, because of the university’s “ongoing financial challenges.”
