TOPEKA (KSNT) – After serving more than 25 years as Washburn president Jerry Farley has retired, effective Sept. 30, 2022.

 “I began discussing my retirement with the board more than two years ago to ensure an orderly and effective transfer of executive authority when the time came for me to step back from the day-to-day duties of the presidency,” Farley said.  “My wife Susan and I have been carefully considering the timing of our retirement for several months now and we have decided that this is the correct time for us.”

During his tenure, Washburn has added several residence halls, plus constructed several learning spaces. Farley led the effort to add new and expanded spaces for teaching and attracted the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Center to campus which allowed the university to add multiple world-class forensic programs to the academic portfolio. In recent times, he also oversaw the completion of a a new indoor athletic facility and the groundbreaking for a new law school on Washburn’s campus.

Farley also mentioned plans to introduce a successor into the president’s role, but has not named anyone in the running for the role at this time.

“It has been my great honor to serve Washburn as President,” Farley said.  “My wife Susan has served right alongside me and we have been blessed with great colleagues and a highly supportive community.”

The Washburn Board of Regents will have the primary job of finding and hiring a new president. A search committee will be appointed by the board which will represent all parts of the Washburn community. More details on this search process will be brought forward by the board in the coming weeks.

Farley said that he will be moving in to a new role at the university: President Emeritus. He will still have a presence on campus but will focus on fundraising and international student recruitment going forward.

“I expect to have a small office somewhere on campus where I can continue to serve a university and community that I love,” Farley said. “In the meantime, I will work with the board to make the transition of executive authority as smooth and effective as possible when then pick a new president.”