Dr. Bill Crosby to Become Acting Chief Academic Officer

July 23, 2013

To the Jacksonville University campus community:

It is my pleasure to announce that Dr. Bill Crosby, Dean of our College of Interdisciplinary and Professional Studies (CIPS), has agreed to become Acting Chief Academic Officer for our University, effective Monday, Aug. 5. Dr Crosby will assume all the duties of Dr. Lois Becker, who will depart Aug. 2, as we announced last week, as well as continue as Dean of CIPS.

As a campus community, we are fortunate to have a distinguished leader of Bill Crosby's experience willing to step in and help serve.

Throughout his outstanding 20-year career at Jacksonville University, he has held such important leadership positions as Vice President for Finance and Administration and Interim Dean of the Davis College of Business. Dr. Crosby has been associate professor of accounting and Robert T. Shircliff Professor of Business Ethics, and has chaired and served on many University committees. Bill was also recently named our 2012-13 Professor of the Year, the highest peer recognition given to a JU faculty member. He is a seasoned leader who has long shown his love for our University and respect for his fellow faculty members.

As Dr. Crosby assumes his new responsibilities in two weeks, I'd like to extend my thanks to our Faculty Executive Committee and representatives of each of our schools. By faculty bylaw, we convened this committee last week to consider our interim leadership to lead our considerable academic efforts. Their guidance and counsel proved insightful and invaluable.

Beginning in early August, we will begin the important process that will lead to the selection of a new, permanent academic leader. It is likely that work will take 6-12 months. Dr. Crosby has been gracious in informing me that he will not be making himself available for that longer-term post. I thank him here for his usual first-class handling of this, and for his thoughtful leadership.

Thanks to each of you for continuing the real progress underway right now at our University. This summer has been extremely productive so far, and we will maintain that pace of progress. Please join me in welcoming Bill to his new position, and thanks to each of you in advance for working in a spirit of cooperation and excellence.

Sincerely,

Tim Cost
President
Jacksonville University
Class of 1981