Nellis announces resignation as Ohio U president

Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis announced Thursday morning he will be resigning from his position, according to an Ohio U press release. 

Nellis will end his tenure as president June 30. According to the Athens NEWS, his contract as president is valid for another two years. 

Nellis plans to transition into a role as a faculty member in Ohio U’s College of Arts and Sciences, according to the press release. 

“Our students inspire me every day, and it has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your President,” Nellis said in an email to the university community. “I am incredibly proud of all of our students, and I look forward to working alongside future generations of Bobcats in the classroom for years to come.” 

Nellis will be joining the geography department, according to the Athens Messenger.

“My passion at its core is teaching, and I’m thrilled to have the support of the Ohio University Board of Trustees in my decision to return to what is no less than a calling for me,” Nellis said in a video announcement.

Nellis has served as Ohio U’s president since 2017. Nellis oversaw the creation of the Ohio Honors program, instituted the university’s new general education curriculum and supported the launch of Ohio U’s Forever OHIO brand platform. 

Prior to working at Ohio U, Nellis served as president of Texas Tech University and the University of Idaho. During his career, Nellis has also been provost and senior vice president at Kansas State University and dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University. 

The Ohio U Board of Trustees is expected to formally accept Nellis’ resignation at their next meeting scheduled for June 17. The Board is also expected to name an interim president in the coming days, according to a university press release. 

In an Ohio U press release, incoming Board of Trustees Chair Cary Cooper said plans are in the works to find an interim president to begin serving July 1. 

“We are confident in the strength of our leadership across the University to continue to move us forward, and we will bring in an experienced academic leader to work in partnership with them,” Cooper said in the press release. 

Ohio U plans to launch a national search for the university’s next president, according to the press release.