John Delaney, president of the University of North Florida since 2003, announced this morning he will retire when his contract expires May 30, 2018.
Delaney’s contract allows him to lead a center at UNF after he retires, but he has not decided if he will pursue that option or other opportunities, according to a news release.
Joy Korman, chair of the UNF Board of Trustees, praised Delaney’s accomplishments leading the institution.
“John’s leadership has propelled UNF beyond all expectations,” she said of Delaney, who is the longest-serving president in the university’s history.
During his tenure, the release said, academic achievement has significantly improved:
• The average high school GPA of incoming students in 2003 was 3.6 and the average SAT score was 1145. This past fall, the average GPA was 4.17 and the average SAT score was 1208.
• UNF had 37 accredited programs in 2003 — now there are 54.
• The number of doctoral degrees awarded by UNF has increased 76 percent in the past 14 years.
• Since Delaney took over, enrollment has risen 14 percent to nearly 16,000 students.
• UNF has the sixth-highest graduation rate in the U.S. among public, urban regional universities.
• When he retires, Delaney will have awarded 55 percent of the 95,459 degrees granted at UNF since the school opened in 1972.
His accomplishments in helping UNF grow also were cited in the release:
• The building space on the campus is 168 percent larger than when Delaney became president, an increase of two million square feet.
• The campus was 1,121 acres in 2003. Through expansion and donation of wetlands for research, it has grown to more than 2,400 acres.
Delaney’s efforts as a fundraiser were noted, including:
• Raising nearly $250 million for UNF since 2003.
• The school’s endowment has grown to $100 million, a 250 percent increase since 2003.
• Delaney led UNF’s “Power of Transformation” capital campaign that exceeded its goal, raising more than $130 million.
A former Jacksonville mayor, Delaney also increased the public profile of the university. He served as 2015 chair of the JAX Chamber.
He also helped create and is a board member of the Jacksonville Civic Council, an organization focused on defining the city’s future.
Delaney said in the release he is honored to have worked for 14 years with a “truly remarkable team” committed to providing the highest quality education.
“Every time a student crosses the stage and I hand them their diploma, I recognize the life-changing impact UNF has had on their life and the lives they will touch,” he said in the release.
UNF’s trustees plan to discuss this spring the search process for a new president.
(904) 356-2466