SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY HAS NEW PRESIDENT

It was an announcement that caught many by surprise: Dr. Dale Nitzschke will be stepping aside as president of Southeast Missouri State University to a position as chancellor.

The new president will be Dr. Ken Dobbins, who has served as executive vice president. The transition takes effect immediately.

Just three years ago Nitzschke emerged the winner in an extensive, nationwide search for a president to replace Dr. Kala Stroup, who departed to become Missouri's commissioner of higher education. Among the eight semi-finalists in that search was Dobbins.

It is apparent that Nitzschke, the board of regents and the entire university community have been preparing Dobbins for a leadership role for some time. It was under the Stroup administration that Dobbins was elevated to the role of executive vice president. Since then he has played a major role, along with other duties, in representing the university and all its programs before the Missouri Legislature. This is crucial work, and in it Dobbins has earned a reputation as a straight shooter.

Moreover, Dobbins has been a key player these last few years as the university has embarked on a host of other new initiatives: Off-campus educational centers at Sikeston and Kennett, an enhanced public service initiative, a major capital campaign and a new campus master plan. Last year, Dobbins was one of two leading candidates for a top executive position with the University of Missouri system, before withdrawing from that search process to stay here.

Although Nitzschke is stepping down as president, it is good to hear he will remain with the university.

His actual title will be Chancellor for River Campus and Polytechnic Institute Development. He will be freed up from day-to-day management responsibilities over the entire university to concentrate on development of and fund raising for these two new exciting ventures.

Upon his hiring in 1996, Nitzschke signed a two-year contract. Last summer, the board of regents deemed his participation in these two new ventures of sufficient importance that they asked him to remain in the post. He acceded, signing a three-year contract. Nitzschke now says that for personal reasons involving his age and family, he would like to continue serving the school but not in the relentlessly challenging post of president. This is understandable -- commendable, even, as an exercise in candor and sound self-awareness.

There are some who will decry the lack, this time, of another extensive national search for a president. To this concern several points might be made in reply. The simultaneous loss of two of the top three university leaders makes it imperative that the regents move more quickly than usual to fill the vacancy. This restructuring becomes necessary because Provost Charles Kupchella has just departed to become the President of the University of North Dakota.

Moreover, the decision to select a president from within in lieu of a national search is appropriate in view of the resignations of Nitzschke and Kupchella. A search is under way for a new provost, and one major such effort at a time is enough. Besides, most provost candidates won't apply without knowing which president whose administration they'll be serving.

There will be other changes as well. Also announced by the university were the appointments of Dr. Dennis Holt as interim Provost, Dr. Pauline M. Fox as Vice President for Administration and Enrollment Management and William J. Duffy as Vice President of Finance.

With Dobbins' selection, and the appointment of two new vice presidents from within the institution, the university will avoid the period of "standing still," which often accompanies a vacancy in the presidency.

We congratulate Dobbins and the two new vice presidents, and we thank Nitzschke for his outstanding service to the region these past three years.