Dear colleagues,
It is with mixed emotions that I announce the upcoming retirements of Dr. Shirley Lefever and Werner Golling. Both Shirley and Werner recently informed me separately of their plans to retire.
After nearly 20 years at Wichita State, Shirley will retire as provost and executive vice president at the end of the calendar year. And Werner, who has been at WSU for more than seven years, will retire as vice president of finance and administration in July.
Please be assured that while they are leaving WSU in the same year, the timing is coincidental. I am truly happy for Shirley and Werner as they move on to this next phase of their lives. I’ll miss their influence at Wichita State and the pleasure of working with them each day.
I am starting the process of forming search committees to conduct open national searches to replace both positions. I’ve asked Shelly Coleman-Martins, vice president of Strategic Communications and Marketing, to lead the search committee for the provost position and Zach Gearhart, chief of staff and executive director of Government Relations, to lead the search committee for the finance and administration position.
Stay tuned to WSU Today for announcements about the next steps in the search process and plans to celebrate Shirley and Werner’s time here.
President Rick Muma