BOV Names Hurley as Ninth President

BY BRYNN BOYER AND ANNE ELDER

Richard Hurley will serve as the ninth president of the University of Mary Washington, effective July 1, 2010.

The Board of Visitors made the announcement at its meeting today after an hour long closed session.

Hurley, who has previously served as acting president twice, has agreed to stay in the position for at least the next three years.

“My expectation is that that is not a term limit,” Nanalou Sauder, rector of the BOV, said.

Hurley said he expects the contract to be finalized by next week.
He said the Board’s decision to name him as president did not come as a surprise, because of the “outpouring of support” he received from the campus community.

“It shifted from ‘This’ll never happen’ in the beginning to ‘Maybe this’ll happen’ to ‘It looks like this is going to happen’,” Hurley said.

When Sauder made a motion at the meeting to accept the resolution that would name Hurley as president, the Board members all applauded and gave him a standing ovation.

“It seemed obvious to me that it was the right thing,” Sauder said.

Hurley said his approach to the presidency would be one of “honesty, openness and collaboration.”

Hurley has been serving as acting president since April 1,  taking over after Judy Hample stepped down.

Hurley said he’s looking forward to meeting students through his new position.

“I’m a very accessible person,” Hurley said. “Please come up to me and introduce yourself.”