Bernadette Gray-Little, the 17th chancellor of the University of Kansas, will step down from her position in summer 2017.
The University of Kansas released Thursday that Gray-Little, recently announced her plans to the Kansas Board of Regents and then also in a campus-wide email.
“It has been an honor to lead the University of Kansas,” Gray-Little said in a written statement. “During the past seven years, we have made tremendous strides as a university and positioned KU for even greater achievements in the future.”
According to the release, Gray-Little said the timing of her decision makes good sense for the university.
Gray-Little was instrumental to “Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas,” the university’s $1.6 billion fundraising campaign that concluded in July, the release stated.
“Chancellor Gray-Little has been a transformative figure for the University of Kansas and has ably guided the university during the past seven years,” Zoe Newton, a member of the Board of Regents, said in the written statement. “On behalf of the Board of Regents, I want to thank her for her service and leadership and wish her the very best.”
The Kansas Board of Regents, in partnership with the university, announced they will have details of the search process for Gray-Little’s successor in the coming weeks.
Gray-Little is the second head of a Kansas university to announce a departure this year. Former Kansas State President Kirk Schulz announced in March that he was leaving the university for the same position at Washington State University.
Gen. Richard B. Myers is K-State’s interim president while a search is conducted to replace Schulz.
