Update Monday, Nov. 05:

In an email to staff, faculty and students, University of Nevada, Reno President Marc Johnson announced that he will be stepping down to a faculty position in 2020.

In the email, President Johnson said his last day will be June 30, 2020. He will be transitioning to a faculty position in the Department of Economics in the College of Business as a professor.

“Serving as the president of the University of Nevada, Reno has been the responsibility of a lifetime for me,” Johnson said in the email to the university. “I am extremely proud of where our University is today. Equally as important, I am excited about what the future holds for the next steward of this uncommonly vital, historically vibrant asset we hold in trust for the people of Nevada.”

President Johnson was appointed to the position as the sixteenth president of  on April 20, 2012. During the previous year, he served as interim president following the death of President Milt Glick. 

During Johnson’s presidency, the university became classified as a Carnegie R1 Research Facility and had an increase in infrastructure. 

“New buildings that were constructed under Johnson’s watch include student-based facilities such as Great Basin and Peavine Halls, the E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center and the William N. Pennington Student Achievement Center as well as the University Arts Building and the soon-to-be completed William N. Pennington Engineering Building,” the email read. “In addition, historic campus buildings such as Lincoln Hall were retrofitted and repurposed, or in the case of Palmer Engineering, were modernized. Of the close to $500 million in capital improvements that have occurred during the Johnson presidency, only $71 million have come from state dollars.”

The Nevada System of Higher Education will use the next few months to search for the next president of the university. NSHE will be engaging in dialogue with the campus community over the qualifications needed from the next president, according to the email.

The NSHE Board of Regents will be at the University of Nevada, Reno on Wednesday, Nov. 13 to discuss with the campus community if there needs to be a national search or internal appointment for the university’s president. 

NSHE Chancellor Tom Reilly said in a statement that the university has been successful under Johnson. 

“His service to UNR, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Reno community, and the state of Nevada will long be remembered and appreciated,” Reilly said in a statement sent to The Nevada Sagebrush. “I want to thank him for his leadership and wish him well as he returns to teaching with the department of economics at UNR’s College of Business.”

Faculty and Student Reactions

President of the Graduate Student Association Tamara Guinn wanted to thank Johnson for his leadership and service to the university.

“During his time as President, Dr. Johnson has shown genuine compassion and dedication to students across campus and we truly appreciate the positive impact he has had on so many of our lives during our time at UNR,” Guinn said. “While we are sad that Dr. Johnson’s Presidency is coming to an end, we are thankful he will remain part of our campus community.”

Associated Students of the University of Nevada President Anthony Martinez said the announcement is “bittersweet”.

“The news of President Marc Johnson’s resignation is so bittersweet,” President Martinez said in a statement to the Nevada Sagebrush. “He was a great steward to the University of Nevada. His dedication has left a bright legacy at our institution. During his term, President Marc Johnson championed a five-year effort to earn our “R1” Carnegie Classification, guided students during the recessionary period, and helped transform our student body to better reflect Nevada’s diverse population. This is just a small glimpse of the contributions he has made to our University. With his accomplishments, he successfully promoted teaching, discovery, and engagement—some of our University’s core values. Needless to say, I am happy that he will still be part of our learning community as faculty.”

Faculty Senate Chair Brain Frost believed Johnson was a  thoughtful, supportive, and deliberative leader. 

“Over the past decade, under President Johnson’s leadership, our University has been elevated to greater and greater heights,” Frost said. “He has overseen impressive gains in graduation rates and the transformation of our institution with renovations of existing buildings and new capital projects. He guided us to a decade as a Tier 1 University and to the coveted Carnegie R1 Research Very High designation this past year. On a personal note, working with President Johnson has been meaningful, productive, and inspiring.”

Despite some community members thanking Johnson for his service, former student Kristin Mitra said with Johnson stepping down the university can now focus on addressing issues related to hate and bias. 

“I think it’s completely right that Marc Johnson is stepping down because the attitude he’s had towards everything that’s happened is unacceptable,” Mitra said. “The university needs to work on things like sensitivity training and holding hate groups/white supremacy groups accountable for their actions. The university is a hotbed for all sorts of racial tension that goes unresolved. I’m all for opening the floor to all these voices, however when the voices speak against the existence of others, there has to be action. Hate should have no safe space at UNR.”

Mitra added the new president needs to address the hateful acts that have occurred on campus. 

“The first thing I want to see the new president do is address the hate that is not only present, but rising on campus,” Mitra said. “I want to see the hate condemned and a promise to marginalized groups that not only they are safe, but they have been heard and their fears are valid.”

Andrew Mendez and Taylor Johnson can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.

Original Story:

In an email to staff, faculty and students, University of Nevada, Reno, president announced he will be stepping down to a faculty position in 2020.

In the email, President Johnson said his last day will be June 30, 2020. He will be transitioning to a faculty position in the Department of Economics in the College of Business as a professor.

“Serving as the president of the University of Nevada, Reno has been the responsibility of a lifetime for me,” Johnson said in the email. “I am extremely proud of where our University is today. Equally as important, I am excited about what the future holds for the next steward of this uncommonly vital, historically vibrant asset we hold in trust for the people of Nevada.”

President Johnson was appointed to the position on April 20, 2012. He is the sixteenth president to serve the institution.

The Nevada System of Higher Education will use the next few months to search for the next president of the university. NSHE will be engaging in dialogue with the campus community over the qualifications needed from the next president, according to the email.  

The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents will be at the University of Nevada, Reno on Wednesday, Nov. 13 to discuss with the campus community if there needs to be a national search or internal appointment for the university’s president. 

NSHE Chancellor Tom Reilly said in a statement the university has been successful under Johnson. 

“His service to UNR, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Reno community, and the state of Nevada will long be remembered and appreciated,” Reilly said in a statement sent to The Nevada Sagebrush. “I want to thank him for his leadership and wish him well as he returns to teaching with the department of economics at UNR’s College of Business.”

The President’s Office did not immediately reply for comment.

This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as we have them.

The Nevada Sagebrush News Desk can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.