Indiana State University President Deborah Curtis announced her retirement Wednesday after six years in her role.
She became the first female president of ISU when she was named to the position in late 2017.
She said ISU is in a “good spot,” saying the college saw enrollment gains this semester and found financial stability. Curtis will finish the rest of the academic year, and the university is already preparing to transition with the next president.
Curtis, ISU’s 12th president, said she’s proud to finish her career at her alma mater, and she expressed gratitude to the students and alumni she’s worked with over the years.
“It's never been boring. It's always been inspiring,” Curtis said. “And that's the part that I'll take with me and I'll miss the most.”
Read more: ISU President Deborah Curtis | Profiles - Indiana Public Media
Curtis spent 38 years in higher education. Her contract was set to expire in 2025 after extensions during the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked about a potential buyout or the status of the final year of her contract, Curtis said it’s “in the works” and “not relevant right now.”
She said she discussed her early retirement with the Board of Trustees chair, Robert Casey. She came to the decision months ago.
“People always told me, you'll know when it's the right time, and I knew it was the right time,” Curtis said. “Now it's time to be with my family, my husband.”
Casey said in a press release Curtis has led in a way that is emblematic of her “deep loyalty and pride in her alma mater” and worked to take ISU to new heights.
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“Her advocacy for ISU in the Statehouse, the broader Wabash Valley community and the alumni community has been energetic and passionate, creating renewed enthusiasm for the ISU brand among all of these key stakeholders,” Casey said.
For the rest of her tenure, Curtis and the university will prepare a national search for her predecessor. She said the campus “will be involved” in the process, but she personally will have little to no involvement in picking the next president.
“I hope to see someone with a vision, someone who understands and gets what we've done, and what the amazing potential is of this institution, and is ready to take that on and take us even further,” Curtis said.
Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @aubreymwright.
