Written by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
Over the past semester the Board and the Administration have worked together to continue developing their plan for the future of the college. Over this winter, Board Chair Mary Korn made an announcement updating the community on the current trajectory of the college. With that came the official transition from one interim president to the next. As interim president Dr. Margaret Drugovich’s term comes to an end the college welcomes interim president Dr. Kathleen Dougherty.
Since her arrival 18 months ago, Dr. Drugovich has been working on identifying and addressing many important resource management issues, from account management and budget balancing, as well as hiring talented colleagues. When the Board hired Dr. Drugovich, the Board’s goal was to find a leader who could have a transformational impact on Marietta while setting the groundwork for the transition to the next president. Dr. Drugovich has exceeded in her role and has helped the college benefit through this transitional phase.
In August, the Board had asked Dr. Drugovich to develop a plan that would provide the foundation for a strong and sustainable Marietta College for the future. Once the plan was submitted, the Board approved the planning committee’s recommendations on November 26th. The Board has entrusted the President and the administration with the responsibility for leadership of implementation. Implementation begins this year and Dr. Drugovich will work with Dr. Dougherty to assure that there is no loss of momentum during the Presidential transition that will occur on January 1st.
Now that the plan has been approved, we have a clear view of our path forward. This fact has allowed the Board to revisit the best approach to ensuring a consistent and impactful college President during this critical period of plan implementation.
The Board has chosen to offer Dr. Dougherty an extended interim presidency from 6 months to 18 months. Her term will begin on January 1st, 2025, as planned, and extend through June 30th, 2026. Her service to date is as Provost, including her contributions to the development of the planning initiatives, makes her all the more prepared to lead the College at this pivotal time. Dr. Dougherty has accepted this invitation and is excited to begin her work as the College’s next interim President.
The Board will continue their search for a new president while the interim administration team works on the implementation aspect of the approved plan to ensure the sustainability of Marietta for the foreseeable future.
Edited by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
