Dudley-Eshbach stepping down as Salisbury University president in 2018

Salisbury University President Janet Dudley-Eshbach announced Wednesday she will step down from her role as president effective June 30, 2018. 

"Change is good, for institutions and individuals, and 18 years is a long tenure for any university president, especially in today’s world, given the increased complexities and demands of the position," Dudley-Eshbach said in a letter to the SU campus. "I will not be retiring, but looking forward to new opportunities." 

Dudley-Eshbach "will serve as a special advisor to the University during a sabbatical year which begins July 1, 2018" as per an agreement between the University System of Maryland chancellor and regents, and herself, according to a press release. 

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During the sabbatical year, Dudley-Eshbach will assist the incoming president "with transitional matters, supporting fundraising efforts and engaging in special projects. ... So long as these activities do not interfere with the primary purpose of my sabbatical ...," she said in her letter to the campus. 

According to a press release, Dudley-Eshbach plans to return to SU as a faculty member during the 2019-2020 academic year. 

"It's been emotional for me," Dudley-Eshbach said of the news during a Sept. 27 news conference.  

Dudley-Eshbach became SU's eighth president in 2000. She is the university's first female president and the longest-serving female president in the University System of Maryland.

"... She has made higher education her life, and SU, the University System of Maryland, and the citizens of Maryland, are better for it,” said Robert Caret, USM chancellor, in a press release. 

Dudley-Eshbach will go down in history, along with William Holloway and Thomas Bellavance, as among SU’s most influential presidents, Salisbury Mayor Jake Day predicted.

After learning news of her stepping down, Day said in a video posted to the city’s Facebook page, “I got to admit, my first reaction was heartbreak. I feel like you’ve given so much to this university and this community, and no one can match you. … I tell you, we’re all going to remember the name Eshbach.” 

During her tenure, the university has seen growth in its student population, going from 6,400 students in 2000 to 8,700 in 2017. There has also been a growth in diversity, with the minority student population growing from 11 percent in 2000 to 25 percent in 2017, according to a press release. 

SU's physical campus has grown over Dudley-Eshbach's 18 years, with $350 million used to create new facilities. The campus' building count has grown from 59 to 89 with the campus footprint expanding from 114 acres in 2000 to 220 in 2017.

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Dudley-Eshbach emphasized how SU worked to create a stronger bond between the public university and its city including the Town-Gown Council, retail shops in Sea Gull Square and removing walls around campus grounds. 

"We literally have tried to break down some of the barriers between the university and our surrounding communities," she said. 

When Dudley-Eshbach takes on her advisor role in July 2018, she said she plans not to become too much of a control freak. However, she emphasized that the incoming president needs to be a good fit for SU. 

"I care deeply about what happens next," she said. 

She hopes to see an incoming president who intends to stay at SU through the university's 100th anniversary in 2025. While it was tempting for her to stay in her role until then, she said, factors like a big upcoming fundraising campaign and being in her early 70s by 2025 played a role in her choice to make this move now.  

"I've tried to time my decision in a way that works for me, but that also fits with the university's needs," she said. 

While she is interested in playing a role in the upcoming hiring process, she knows it is important to not be over-involved and to allow other stakeholders to speak their minds. But, she said the incoming president must quickly make friendships and connections with USM and the Board of Regents to keep SU on the system's radar. 

"The next big challenge is going to be to reestablish some of those strong connections and ensure that Salisbury University is front and center and gets the attention of the Board of Regents, and others," she said. "Because that's where decisions are made about the allocation of operating funds among the institutions, and who gets what capital project."

During her sabbatical, she plans to brush up on teaching and instructional technology to properly return to the classroom. This could include going back to El Colegio de Mexico where she received her Ph.D to sit in on classes and possibly guest teach, plus some fun things like traveling, reading, playing music and spending time with family. 

After her sabbatical, her current plan is to return to SU as a faculty member for the 2019-2020 academic year. Dudley-Eshbach became a teacher at age 25 and planned to stay as a college or university faculty member throughout her career. 

But, after teaching for about seven years, she quickly moved into administration, starting in a part-time role at Goucher College, she said. Now, with the opportunity to get back into the classroom, Dudley-Eshbach is excited to work with students teaching her passion: Spanish.   

"I miss that. I love interacting with students," she said.