University of Memphis president, Dr. David Rudd, declared he will step down and return to teaching in 2023. The decision was announced publicly on social media on March 10. Rudd will not disappear until then, but the search for a replacement will conclude before May 2022 according to the Board of Trustees.
The public statement clarified that Mr. M. David Rudd will remain as president until May of 2022 and a new president should be named by then as well. No interim president will be assigned. Rudd was the twelfth president of the UofM and he will make way for the thirteenth.
Dr. Rudd’s time
During his time, the UofM has completed or begun several renovations and improvements. The Laurie-Walton Family Basketball Center and the Indoor Football Practice Facility was built during Rudd leadership. The Hunter Harrison Memorial Pedestrian Cable Bridge, the Southern parking garage, plaza and Alumni Mall Amphitheater were all started and completed while Rudd served. The Scheidt Family Music Center, R. Brad Martin Student Wellness Center and Plaza, and Mike Rose Natatorium were all started during Rudd’s time.
Rudd took strong efforts to create a developed method for the University’s first integrated enrollment, retention and graduation plan. UofM Global was launched to give access to more students to study at the UofM despite the distance.
Dr. Rudd’s background
Rudd has served the University of Memphis for the past eight years. For the past seven he has held the position of President and his first year he served as the provost. Rudd said he originally said he would not serve more than a decade at the senior level.
He is a University Professor of Psychology, and Rudd has worked with the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah as co-founder and scientific director.
Rudd earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton and a master’s and PhD degrees in psychology from the University of Texas.
The final word
Aside from Dr. Rudd’s improvements and acts, he was an avid Memphis supporter. Rudd titled his personal message about his leave ‘Always a Tiger’. He ended with ‘Once a president, always a Tiger’. Rudd held open-door “‘Town Hall”’ meetings on campus when students could voice their concerns.
“New leadership will bring new ideas, new energy and new voices for the next step in advancing our University,” Rudd said. “I look forward to contributing to our campus, our community and our City in new ways.”