Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
It is good to see the presidential torch at Utah State University being passed to a local favorite. In naming Stan Albrecht to succeed Kermit Hall, the Utah Board of Regents has wisely chosen to forego a lengthy national search in favor of quickly settling on a highly qualified individual who has widespread support among USU’s faculty and staff.
Albrecht knows the territory. As Executive Vice President and Provost at the Logan school the last four years, he has worked alongside President Hall in developing and carrying out a variety of successful initiatives and programs. Under their watch, for example, research-grant proposals increased by 32 percent and National Science Foundation expenditures rose by 29 percent. And it is notable that the university’s freshmen retention rate jumped from 61 to 75 percent.
President Hall’s departure for New York’s state university at Albany is not surprising for a nationally recognized administrator of his caliber. The attitude of excellence he brought to USU is something Dr. Albrecht can continue as he assumes leadership of the university. Such continuity is unusual in this revolving door era when university presidents come and go with accelerated frequency.
So, in thanking Kermit Hall for an impressive four years at the USU helm, KSL welcomes the appointment of Stan Albrecht along with expectations for more of the same.
