St. Bonaventure University has announced Dr. Andrew Roth will serve as interim president. Roth will succeed Sister Margaret Carney who announced she would step down July 31st. Roth will begin his interim leadership role August 1st, serving for the next academic year. Roth served as president and CEO at Norte Dame College in Cleveland from 2003-2014.
“To have a leader the caliber of Andy Roth serve as the bridge to a full-time leader is really a wonderful opportunity for us,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Daugherty. “His background in both administration and academics, and his effectiveness as a communicator, is the perfect blend to garner the respect of the Bonaventure community.”
Roth also taught at Mercyhurst College. During his time at Norte Dame, enrollment nearly tripled. Roth also has significant fundraising, budget management and athletics and full-time faculty more than doubled.
“St. Bonaventure is a wonderful institution with an outstanding reputation both regionally and nationally,” Roth said. “I look forward to working with the St. Bonaventure community to further retiring president Sr. Margaret’s success, to transition smoothly to the next president, and to ensuring that St. Bonaventure's mission-centric, values-based education not only survives into the future, but thrives.”
St. Bona began conducting a national search for a new president in March. The Board expects a full-time president to be named by December.
"Dr. Roth has superb administrative experience in Catholic higher education. This will serve him — and our university — well and allow him to get up to speed quickly,” said Sr. Carney. “I sensed his intuitive grasp of the communitarian spirit of Bona’s and its national reputation — an asset he understands very well. I look forward to working with Andy to assure a smooth transition.”
In January Sr. Carney announced she would step down. Carney has worked at St. Bona nearly 20-years, the last 12-as president. In a WBFO News interview Carney said she is leaving as the school is in the process of finalizing a new strategic plan.
"I have been thinking about this for a while," said Carney. "The University community is developing a strategic plan with a very excellent process. That plan will be finished by June and certainly approved by September. I believe it's critical to have a new executive in place who can commit to carry that plan through."
In February, 74-year-old Carney revealed to the college community that she was diagnosed with a blood cancer.
The college said one of Roth’s first tasks will be helping to implement St. Bonaventure’s new strategic plan. That plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees next week for approval.
“One of my mantras is ‘think big, start small, move fast,’” Roth said. “The St. Bonaventure community has already done the ‘big thinking’ with the new strategic plan. During this transition year, we will identify those tactical initiatives that we can implement to keep the university’s forward momentum moving. It’ll be both fun and exciting to help the university community begin to bring the plan to life.”
Roth will continued to teach at least one course per year during his presidency at Notre Dame College.
