Marietta College Names UNI President Ruud New Leader

University of Northern Iowa President William Ruud will become the new leader of Marietta College in Ohio this summer.

According to Marietta's website, the college officially announced Dr. Ruud's hiring on Wednesday (May 18, 2016).

In announcing the hiring, Marietta officials said Dr. Ruud will begin his tenure on July 3. He will be Marietta's 19th President and will also have the title of Professor of Management.

According to a college news release, Marietta's Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Ruud to the position. The school received more than 100 applications during a national search.

In his three years at UNI, Dr. Ruud has been part of a positive trend that has seen enrollment improve to 12,300 students — while experiencing increases in freshman, sophomore, junior, graduate, transfer, international and underrepresented minority students. Fundraising at UNI was also on the upswing with more than $50 million since his arrival.

Marietta will be Ruud’s third presidency. Prior to his arrival at UNI, he was the top administrator at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania from 2007-13.

Rudd signed a three-year contract when he was hired as UNI's 10th president following Ben Allen's retirement in 2013. The contract, which pays Ruud $340,000 annually, is set to expire on June 1.

The Iowa Board of Regents is expected to name an interim UNI president at its meeting in June.