The University of Akron Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Scott L. Scarborough, PhD, the 16th President of the University. Noting his impressive credentials and his extensive experience in the management of all aspects of higher education, including complex financial matters, Board Chair Richard W. Pogue stated: “Dr. Scarborough clearly shares our vision for the University of Akron. We have confidence that he will help us advance our mission as a public research university committed to our students’ success, to creating new models for sustaining academic excellence, and to our role as a vital contributor to the regional economy.” His term will begin July 1, 2014.
Dr. Scott L. Scarborough comes to The University of Akron after more than seven years in leadership positions at The University of Toledo (UT) and its Medical Center (UTMC). Dr. Scarborough calls higher education “a high calling that deserves leaders who are effective, wise, honorable and good.” His vision for the ideal model of education includes:
Dr. Scarborough, who is on a business trip out of town with his wife Tammy, issued the following statement:
"I was thrilled to have received the call from Chair of the Board Dick Pogue this afternoon with the news of my appointment. Tammy and I are very excited about the opportunity to join The University of Akron family and the Akron community. We look forward to doing our part to build on the great work of Dr. Proenza and the faculty, staff and students who make The University of Akron a great university."
Watch the announcement.
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During the last two years, Dr. Scarborough has been Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, serving as the chief academic officer and operating officer for UT, which has an annual operating budget of more than $800 million. He directed the development of UT’s new strategic plan, Imagine 2017, and organized a system of “portal colleges” designed to meet the needs of well-prepared, prepared and underprepared, adult, online and graduate and advanced professional students. He also led the rebranding of Jesup Scott Honors College, leading to a significant increase in the numbers of honors students at UT and he created YouCollege to improve the performance and completion rates of underprepared students.
Prior to his current position, Dr. Scarborough was Senior Vice President and Executive Director of The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC), responsible for the overall management and operations of its 319-bed hospital, specializing in trauma, orthopedics, cardiology, neurology, cancer, surgery and kidney transplantation, and a large network of provider-based outpatient centers. During his two years in the position, Dr. Scarborough led the development of UTMC’s strategic plan, Victory 2015.
From 2007 to 2011, he was Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration for both the University of Toledo and its Medical Center, responsible for managing university and hospital accounting and finance, including patient access, health information management, the budget office, information technology and internal auditing.
The Board search process began last fall, culminating in the identification of three finalists, all of whom visited campus last week. On Monday, the Board heard from representatives of the administration, deans, chairs, faculty, students, staff and the community, and deliberated for several hours. Returning to deliberations today, Board Chair Pogue remarked on the strength of the finalists. “Most especially, we are grateful for UA Executive Vice President Jim Tressel, who has demonstrated his dedication to this University and to our students, and who has brought significant, positive change to our campus, and outstanding accomplishments in the two years he has led the Division of Student Success.”
In his application materials, Dr. Scarborough describes his personal strengths in “areas of strategic management, financial management, team-building, and friend-raising” and is most proud of his “work to elevate the quality, distinctiveness and economic sustainability of all aspects of a university’s tripartite mission: teaching and learning, research and discovery, and service and engagement.”
Dr. Scarborough is featured monthly on the UT website in a segment called The Provost’s Corner, in which he highlights advances in programs and colleges, and recognizes accomplishments by faculty, staff and students.
Dr. Scarborough came to UTMC from senior leadership positions at DePaul University, Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company (Texas Trust), The University of Texas System, and Coopers & Lybrand/KPMG Peat Marwick. He has his PhD in Strategic Management and an MBA and BBA in Accounting.
Dr. Scarborough lives in Toledo with his wife Tammy, and their daughter Samantha. Son Spencer lives in Austin, Texas. Tammy, who joined Dr. Scarborough in his visit to campus last week, is Chief Financial Officer of the University of Toledo Physicians Group (UTP), which manages the faculty practice plan for 270 physicians and mid-level providers. Tammy Scarborough is responsible for managing UTP’s finances, IT, human resources and strategic planning functions.
Media contact: Eileen Korey, 330-972-8589 or korey@uakron.edu.
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