Retiring
Terry Murrell – Western Iowa Tech Community College
President Terry Murrell of Western Iowa Tech Community College will retire by June 2026. He is credited with expanding student support services, establishing an athletics program and tripling graduation rates, according to the college.
Murrell will have led Western Iowa Tech for 15 years by the time of his retirement.
Garnett S. Stokes – University of New Mexico
Garnett Stokes announced her intent to retire as president of the University of New Mexico at the end of the academic year.
The university credited Stokes with four straight years of rising total enrollment. Some of her biggest accomplishments include partnering with state agencies, national laboratories and industry to create new career pathways across New Mexico, as well as renovating campus facilities in athletics and healthcare.
Stokes will complete an eight-year tenure upon her retirement.
Chris Kuberski – Highland Community College (Ill.)
President Christina “Chris” Kuberski is retiring from Highland Community College at the end of the fiscal year, according to a school announcement.
Kuberski, who stepped into Highland as executive vice president in 2015, has maneuvered the college through accreditation and the 2020 pandemic. Over the last year, she has focused on securing federal grants to expand campus facilities, rural economic development and workforce pipelines in machining and welding careers.
Kuberski will complete five years as president when she retires.
Barbara Morris – Prescott College (Arizona)
Barbara Morris will retire from Prescott College at the end of her contract in 2026, completing a five-year tenure as president.
“Together we have nurtured substantial growth in several of our graduate programs and embraced a reinvigoration of our curriculum,” Morris said in a release. “We have acted to deepen our connections within the city of Prescott and Yavapai County, and demonstrated that our work at Prescott College produces an economic impact of $19 million each year.”
Alison Morrison-Shetlar – University of Lynchburg (Va.)
Alison Morrison-Shetlar, the first female president of the University of Lynchburg, will retire in June 2026.
The university credits Morrison-Shetlar with bolstering leadership development initiatives and advancing DEI initiatives over her five-year tenure.
Facing a $12 million deficit, Morrison-Shetlar has spent the last year overseeing undergraduate program cuts and staff layoffs, Cardinal News reports. The university must now restructure its finances to obtain reaffirmation from its accreditor.
Stepping down
Emir Caner – Truett McConnell University (Ga.)
Truett McConnell University has parted ways with Emir Caner, who served 17 years as president, according to a release.
Caner was placed on leave in June after an employee accused the president of helping cover up her sexual abuse committed by a school administrator, ABC News reports. The Board of Trustees’ decision to relieve Caner came after an independent investigation, the results of which have not been publicly disclosed.
Kimberly Andrews Espy – Wayne State University (Mich.)
Kimberly Andrews Espy announced she is stepping down as president of Wayne State University after two years, citing “personal reasons,” according to a release.
Espy signed a five-year contract in August 2023. She focused her efforts on college readiness programs and expanding access to students from Detroit’s public school district.
Sean Huddleston – Martin University (Ind.)
Sean Huddleston is stepping down as president of Martin University in November, with the “highest regard” from the Board of Trustees, according to a university statement.
President since 2019, Huddleston helped found Martin University’s National Center for Racial Equity and Inclusion, which collaborates with nonprofits and industry to strengthen diversity among their leaders. He also founded an apprenticeship program that guarantees students a salary as they work toward earning a full-time position.
Claudia Lourido-Habib – Ventura College (Calif.)
Claudia Lourido-Habib is out as president of Ventura College after just one year.
Claudia Lourido-Habib, who began her tenure in summer 2024, voluntarily resigned, according to a staff email reviewed by the Ventura County Star. Ventura College’s vice president of student affairs has been named acting president until an interim leader is named.
Mark Welsh – Texas A&M University
Mark Welsh has resigned as president of Texas A&M University two years after stepping into the role.
Welsh caught fire from state policymakers after a video surfaced of him defending a professor who introduced gender ideology in a children’s literature class. The president eventually fired the professor and demoted the heads of a college and the school’s English department
Nevertheless, Welsh soon resigned afterward. He did not mention the video in his letter to the university.
Welsh, a retired member of the U.S. Air Force, became the interim leader of Texas A&M in 2023 after the former president withdrew the appointment of a new journalism director, who was discovered to support DEI initiatives at her previous post.
