ST. GEORGE – Dixie State University announced Wednesday that its president, Dr. Stephen Nadauld, would be retiring at the end of the 2013-14 school year.
“After much deliberation, and with the twin emotions of elation at the experience and sadness at the thought of it ending, I have concluded that I should announce my retirement from the university,” Nadauld said, according to a statement released by the university. “As I have thought about how this presidency at Dixie has been an incredible capstone to a long career, I am filled with gratitude to all who have made it possible and so enjoyable.”
Nadauld, 71, acted as interim president of then-Dixie State College in 2008 after the resignation of the college’s president, Lee Caldwell. He was then elected unanimously as the school’s permanent president by the Utah State Board of Regents in January 2010.
During his six-year tenure as president, Nadauld has overseen: growth in student enrollment; the addition of several new baccalaureate degree, two-year and certificate programs; the construction and renovation of buildings and facilities on campus such as the Jeffery R. Holland General Commons and Snow Science Building; the cultivation of community partnerships with the county, Intermountain Healthcare, City of St. George and others; the school’s centennial; and Dixie State’s advancement from college to university status.
“Nadauld’s legacy at Dixie State will be forever cemented in its proud 102-plus year history thanks to his efforts to gain the institution university status earlier this year,” the university press release stated.
“The pace of Dixie’s progress has certainly accelerated due to the efforts of Stephen Nadauld, and his contributions have helped chart the course of this institution for decades to come,” DSU Board of Trustee Chair Steven G. Caplin said.
Nadauld called the college-to-university transition “one of the most satisfying team efforts” as he praised the many parties involved in making the transition possible. Among those were Dixie State’s staff, faculty and alumni, boards of trustees and regents, and state legislators such as Rep. Don Ipson and Sen. Steve Urquhart who both championed the cause to allow Dixie State to achieve university status. The objective was made official with the signing of House Bill 61 by the governor on Feb. 16.
“President Nadauld has been a transformative leader for Dixie State University,” Utah System of Higher Education Commissioner David Buhler said. “Not only did he lead the transition to becoming a state university during challenging economic times, but he has guided the building of a physical campus that positively reflects Dixie’s growing mission.”
Nadauld announced his retirement during a faculty meeting, and said: “It is the feeling that making this retirement announcement at this time will give the regents an opportunity to do a thorough search for a new president without the need to appoint an interim president during the process.”
Nadauld agreed to stay in office until his replacement is chosen by the regents. In the coming weeks the regents will appoint a search committee to conduct a national search for a new president of DSU.
“In the meantime, please know that I will be forever grateful for this extraordinary experience,” Nadauld said, “during which we have grown to love the students, faculty, staff, alumni, community, and all with whom we have associated.”
Nadauld previously served as the president of Weber State University, has held numerous positions at Brigham Young University’s Marriott Graduate School of Management, and has been an instructor of finance at the University of California, Berkley, and at the University of Utah.
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