Board extends President Huntington's contract

The Board of Trustees has announced that, in accordance with terms of President Rob Huntington’s 2016-2020 employment agreement, his contract has been extended an additional year.

Board Chair Sondra G. Libman, '67, made the announcement following the board’s fall meeting. She explained that Rob was given a rolling contract designed to automatically turn into another five-year contract at the end of the first year and every year thereafter. As a result, his new contract has been extended to 2021. Sondra said she looks forward to many more such extensions.

“It has been our pleasure, as a board, to experience Rob’s leadership in guiding Heidelberg on our shared path toward education excellence and student success,” she said. “Progress continues as Heidelberg works to provide distinctive, value-added learning opportunities for students across the board.”

“It takes a commitment to collaboration among the board, senior leadership and the entire Heidelberg community to help Heidelberg rise. Stability at the highest level of leadership will allow the university to achieve its goal and build engaging personal relationships that lead to lifetime success for our graduates. I am excited about the future,” Sondra added.

Rob began as Heidelberg’s 14th president in July 2009. In their seventh year as residents of Tiffin and Seneca County, he and his family have established roots in the community. He is currently serving as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corporation and its Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Tiffin Charitable Foundation and a member of the Tiffin Rotary. In higher education, Rob is a member of the Executive Committee for the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) and serves on the board. Also, as a board member, he is on the Executive Committee of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Ohio (AICUO). Nationally, Rob serves as one of 18 college and university presidents on the NCAA Division III Presidents Council and represents the Ohio Athletic Conference on the NCAA Division III Presidents Advisory Group.

During his tenure at Heidelberg, the university has completed nine new construction and renovation projects, including Adams Hall (School of Business), the Media Communication Center, Talmage Residence Hall, The University Commons with its Fireside Café Pub, Saurwein Health & Wellness Center, Hoernemann Stadium & The Fox Den Alumni Center and Frann’s Field for women’s softball. In addition, two facilities – Beeghly Library and the Bryenton Center for the Honors Program – have undergone major renovations and enhancements, and landscaping and parking areas have been reshaped to better serve the campus and the community.

Under his leadership, Heidelberg also has made great strides toward its $75 million goal in the Academic Comprehensive Campaign for Excellence (ACCE), a multi-level, multi-year initiative that is transforming the academic platform at Heidelberg. Gifts to ACCE, the key piece of the university’s Strategic Action Plan, have surpassed $51.3 million. Over the life of ACCE and beyond, dollars raised will deliver important academic resources to the campus.

Since Rob's arrival, several important academic initiatives have been implemented, including the AIM Hei Faculty-Student Mentoring Program and the university’s first three faculty endowed chairs in education, business and natural sciences. Faculty have introduced new majors in health sciences and self-designed studies, a new track in popular music, and a new pre-med program, with others on the horizon. Significant program changes have also enhanced the Owen Academic & Career Support Center and the study abroad program. This fall, Heidelberg will launch the HYPE Program, an exciting co-curricular initiative designed to help students develop the “soft skills” needed to help them succeed in the workplace and complement their academic programs. The university received $500,000 in grant funding from the local National Machinery Foundation to support the HYPE Program.