Westminster College's new interim president, Donald Lofe, will be in the role for an extended period of time.
Lofe is stepping up from his current position as chair of the Westminster College Board of Trustees. Vice Chair James Morton will take over the role of chair.
Current President Fletcher Lamkin announced his retirement Wednesday, though it won't be the first time he's left Westminster - Lamkin served as president from 2000-07.
"I've tried retirement three times now and failed miserably," Lamkin said.
When he came back to Westminster in 2017, Lamkin signed a three-year contract that ends in November. But Lamkin didn't want his successor to have to take over the reins mid-school year.
"This change in July gives Don the chance to get in the saddle and have the leader team well-coordinated and working together as they are right now for me," Lamkin said. "Then by the start of the school year when, you know, things start to happen, he'll be well-ensconced and comfortable in the chair."
Lamkin said college administration and the board have been working together for months to put the plan together. Lofe said it has been a very open process.
"Fletch has given the team a clear opportunity to give their views on this," Lofe said.
Lofe was reluctant to give a date, but he said the timeline for finding the next president will coincide with efforts to achieve financial and academic initiatives.
"Don and Jim both know what I've initiated through our staff and faculty," Lamkin said.
He listed curriculum modernization and changes to enrollment management and the institutional advancement office as examples of recent initiatives.
"It's a smooth transition into the future, not a left turn or a right turn," Lamkin said.
Over the past couple days, Lofe has been meeting with university leadership. He said his first goal is to listen. Lofe is putting together a plan for his first 100 days in office.
"One of the things I personally plan to do with the new chair Jim Morton, my colleague the vice chair, is we're going to go on the road and we're going to listen to the alumni, the donor base and students. I use the word other constituencies because there are several of them out there," Lofe said.
Lofe's career has been in finance. Many of his clients have been private and public higher education institutions. For the past eight years, he has served on the board of trustees and spent time on board committees focused on finances, enrollment, investments and academics.
"It was a situation, as Fletch said, that evolved as he began to articulate what his views and thoughts were relative to this period of time and I can assure you it was a very independent process by the board," Lofe said when asked whether he ever anticipated taking on the role of president. "I was honored to be asked to consider this, and I accepted it."
Lofe is stepping up in the midst of a pandemic - the college closed campus and students finished the spring semester from home due to COVID-19. Lamkin, who is staying on as an advisor for the next few months, said COVID-19 is one of the biggest challenges the college is facing.
"We have a plan in place, but the plan has contingencies to it," Lamkin said. "What do you do with your athletes? How do you keep your students safe? How do you keep your staff and faculty safe and yet still have a robust experience, which is why kids go to college. They don't want to sit in a room by themselves learning things online."
Lamkin said enrollments, budgets and sustainability are other priority needs.
"You have a changing demographic," Lofe said. "What is the student demographic like for not only our institution but others of similar size? And what're the opportunities that they're looking for in curriculum?"
Lamkin names the Westminster College mission statement and developing a vision for the campus as his greatest legacies at Westminster.
"I want to take, as a team, what Dr. Lamkin and his team started and clearly grow that," Lofe said. "And for the next president coming on board, whatever time frame that is, he or she clearly feel comfortable and well-supported with what they'll be taking on."
Assuming this retirement takes, Lamkin hopes to write a couple of books about his experiences at West Point and his time in higher education. He also hopes the house he and his wife are fixing up in Jefferson City is the last one he ever has to fix or move into.
"It's up to us to step forward when we're needed and that's what Don's done here. He's needed, he's got the capabilities and he's stepping forward," Lamkin said.