WEBSTER GROVES 鈥 The chancellor of Webster University will resign at the end of 2023 after overseeing years of falling enrollment and financial troubles.
Beth Stroble came to the university in 2009 as president and was named chancellor in 2019. After taking a sabbatical early next year, she will return to Webster to work in alumni relations and fundraising, according to a press release issued Friday.
鈥淢y experience at Webster University has been the highlight of my professional career. It has been truly an honor to work with the outstanding faculty, staff and students of this University,鈥 Stroble said in the release. 鈥淲ebster鈥檚 mission and legacy of meeting unmet needs has inspired my commitment to improving the student experience, and I will continue to support the University in the future, extending the legacy of our founders, the Sisters of Loretto.鈥
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Webster has experienced a 50% drop in enrollment and a loss of $128 million over the past decade. Stroble鈥檚 departure should lead to improved morale at the university, according to a leader of the faculty senate who said, 鈥渢he overall feeling is that we鈥檙e positive that this is going to be a good change for the university. We wish Chancellor Stroble well and look forward to working with the trustees in securing her replacement.鈥
The university鈥檚 problems came to a head last month with a series of negative developments related to its finances and executive pay.
The chairman of Webster鈥檚 board of trustees said he was working with Stroble on her exit plan. Students protested on campus and the faculty issued a vote of no confidence in the chancellor along with President Julian Schuster amid growing criticism of their management of the university. And the owner of Webster鈥檚 downtown St. 不良研究所导航网址 satellite campus sued the university over allegations it hasn鈥檛 paid the $20,000 monthly rent for most of the year.
The trustees continually awarded raises to Stroble and Schuster, making them among the highest-paid university leaders in the region. Stroble鈥檚 compensation totals just under $1 million a year and Schuster鈥檚 is more than $850,000. Schuster will continue as president, according to the release.
A global search for Stroble鈥檚 successor has started, according to Sumit Verma, Webster鈥檚 board chair.
鈥淲e thank Chancellor Stroble for her leadership and service to Webster University during the past 15 years,鈥 Verma said in a statement. 鈥淪he has led Webster University through some of the most challenging times in the history of higher education, and we are very grateful for her dedication, passion and service to this University.鈥
A local consultant in higher education said the problems at Webster University go deeper than its chancellor.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know that it鈥檚 the presidential leadership so much as lack of board leadership,鈥 Gary Stocker said. 鈥淏eth Stroble may have done a particularly bad job, but what was the board doing for the last five, six, seven, eight years? Not fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility.鈥
Many colleges nationwide are struggling to survive financially amid a severe drop in enrollment and pressure to lower tuition prices, said Stocker of College Viability.
鈥淭his is no surprise, but it鈥檚 not just Webster. It is endemic across the country.鈥