Koehler announces retirement plans
Blair Busch
Staff Reporter

Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs William Koehler announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2003-04 academic year after serving as an academic officer at TCU for 24 years.

Chancellor Victor Boschini made the announcement to faculty and staff Tuesday at the annual opening luncheon.

Koehler said that he made his decision to retire based on several factors including Chancellor Boschini’s arrival .

“The university needs new energy and new vision,” Koehler said. “The academic leadership needs to match the energy of the new chancellor.”

According to the Office of Communications, Koehler came to TCU in 1969 as a full time faculty member and then became director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects in 1976. Koehler was named associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research in 1977 and president of the Research Foundation in 1980. He was named Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 1980 and was given the additional title of Provost in 1994.

“I have been in this position for over two decades, and that in itself may set a Guinness Book of World Records for administration,” Koehler said.

Don Mills, vice chancellor of student affairs, said that Koehler has a lot of levels of expertise and a lot of TCU history in his head, and he should be kept around as a consultant.

“I think that we all knew that Bill was considering retirement and it wasn’t a surprise,” Mills said. “He has been here for 35-plus years and has made a significant contribution and he has earned his retirement.”

Faculty members were not surprised by Koehler’s decision and admired him for the length of his tenure, said Don Coerver, associate dean of Add Ran College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“Change usually follows change, and when there is a major change in administration then there will usually be more changes down the line,” Coerver said.

Koehler said that his age also played a factor in his decision to retire.

“I’m pressing 65 and that seems to be the age when people move on and change jobs,” Koehler said. “That is when my predecessor left and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

Becky Roach, Koehler’s administrative assistant, said she has worked with the him since he was named to the vice chancellor position and that he is an important asset to TCU.

“I would like to see him keep the relationship going,” Roach said. “He’ll always be involved with the university in some way.”

Chancellor Boschini said that he is still in the process of forming a committee to find a replacement for Koehler. The committee is headed up by Faculty Senate Chair Nadia Lahutsky and select faculty, students, and staff, he said.

“The complete list of the committee is not finalized,” Boschini said. “There will be a final list Aug. 29.”

Korn/Ferry International was hired to help the committee sort through applicants and use their contacts to have a more select group to choose from, said David Whillock, associate dean of the College of Communications.

“I don’t know how we were chosen, but I feel that it is a broad net that represents the university,” Whillock said.

Blair Busch