Southeast Missouri State University president Kenneth Dobbins announced his retirement plans at his State of the University address on Monday. Dobbins will retire on June 30, 2015.
Dobbins became the 17th president of the university on July 1, 1999, after serving as the University’s Vice President of Finance and Administration from 1991 to 1993, and Executive Vice President from 1993 until his appointment as president.
Dobbins will do consulting work with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities during his retirement.
During his tenure, the College of Science, Technology, and Agriculture and the School of Visual and Performing Arts were established. The university founded the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment under Dobbins’ watch, and built the new River Campus, the polytechnic building, the Agriculture Research Center and four new dormitories. Recently, the university remodeled its science facilities and Academic Hall.
Dobbins said one of his greatest accomplishments during his tenure was the significant increase in enrollment since 1994, when there was 7,500 students at Southeast. Enrollment reached 10,000 for the first time in 2005 and grew to 12,000 this year.
During Dobbins’ presidency, the university has invested more than $400 million in capital construction and building improvement projects.
Dobbins said he enjoyed the time he served as president and described it as “the job of a lifetime,” but added it is time to move on.
“I’ve been very fortunate, and we’ve had wonderful people to work with and board members to guide our institution," Dobbins said. “It’s time for a new president.”
Southeast’s board members have already begun their search for a new president. The regents will appoint a 16-member search committee of faculty, staff and students. They hired Parker Executive Search to help in the process.
Dobbins is excited about the opportunity to spend more time with his wife, Jeanine, as well as his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. The timing of Monday’s announcement was important because it gave the board of regents time to find his successor.
“The board needs to have a good ten months to figure out who will be applying and also to make a decision on the next president,” Dobbins said. “It gives the board enough time to critically evaluate candidates and select a new president.”
“There will definitely be a transition process over this year,” Southeast Board President, Doyle Privett said. “We, as a board, have outlined some steps for the president to accomplish during the coming year and for him to work on during the coming year. We have no doubt that he will be a hard working president for the next ten months.”
Privett expects to name the university’s next president in early 2015.
Privett said the board is not looking forward to seeing Dobbins go, but they are excited to start the search for a new president.
Dobbins is currently the longest-serving president of a public four-year university in Missouri.