Interim president to be named
Drew named chancellor; Trustees elect Obradovic
By Tamina Quinto Penkova
Co-Editor
AAU's Board of Trustees announced some significant developments in the college's administration after a meeting last week.
The board has given President Joseph Drew the title of chancellor, opening up the president's position so that an interim replacement can be named to lead the search for a new president. Drew has resigned from the presidency effective next June.
In another significant development, the board elected Aleksandar Obradovic its new chairman, succeeding Pavel Zavitkovsky, who resigned. Obradovic, a graduate of AAU, is country manager in the Czech and Slovak republics for Arthur D. Little International, Inc.
Chancellor Drew said he is very happy with his new title and added that he will continue with some of his previous tasks, such as working on partnerships with other universities. "I hope that my contributions to Anglo-American will prove of continuing value," Drew told ALW Online.
The interim president, who has not yet been selected, is expected to take on the assignment of looking for a new permanent president. At a special AAU staff meeting Friday Obradovic said that he hoped to announce the name of the interim president this week. He also told ALW Online, "The ultimate objective is to have a new president elected for the academic year starting September 2004."
Asked further about duties the interim president and the new chancellor would take on, Obradovic said more information would be released this week.
Regarding students and how these changes will affect them, Obradovic said he expects the outcome to be beneficial. "I am taking full responsibility that the leadership at AAU will create a much more open environment," he said.
In other news, Marc Weiss resigned as a member of the Board of Trustees. Weiss is chairman and CEO of the Prague Institute for Global Urban Development.
--Tamina Quinto Penkova can be reached at tamina31@hotmail.com.
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Last issue date: Dec. 12, 2003
