FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Joseph E. Steinmetz is stepping down from his position as chancellor of the University of Arkansas on Friday, June 18.
The candidate to be the next chancellor for the University has not been announced.
Steinmetz released the following statement on Thursday:
"In my annual commencement address, I sometimes tell graduates that the key to a purposeful and enriching life is to find a career that creates deeply meaningful work and not to settle for anything less," Steinmetz said. "For the past 38 years, higher education has been not only my vocation, but my absolute commitment. My wife Sandy is the reason I get up in the morning, but the promise of teaching and learning, research and discovery, and outreach and engagement has kept me returning to the office day after day, year after year — steadfast in my belief of the power of higher education to improve lives. I still strongly believe in the mission of higher education, yet given the many challenges found trying to manage a university in today's polarized society, I need to do what's best for my family and I feel ready to make way for others."
"I'd like to thank President Bobbitt and the Board of Trustees," he said. "We have the most supportive system and trustees and I'm grateful for their constant support of the mission of the University of Arkansas as well as my leadership.
"But as important, I'd like to thank not only my leadership team, but the entire University of Arkansas community of faculty, staff, students and alumni for their passion for this great institution and their desire to make the university a better place. This was clearly evident as the campus successfully managed a pandemic."
Steinmetz became the sixth chancellor of the University of Arkansas in 2016.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.