AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn University says its president, Steven Leath, is leaving after two years on the job.
The university said in a statement Friday that Leath and the Board of Trustees’ presidential assessment working group mutually decided to part ways.
The president pro tempore of the university’s board, Wayne T. Smith, said trustees are grateful to Leath “for his dedication and commitment as Auburn made strides as a world-class public university.”
The board’s executive committee then met Sunday via a conference call to formally accept the resignation of Leath. The committee also voted to recommend Jay Gogue, Leath’s predecessor, for the position of interim university president. Gogue served as Auburn’s president for 10 years before retiring in 2017.
“Members of the full Board of Trustees will consider the executive committee’s recommendation during a specially-called meeting on July 8,” a statement from the university said.
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Leath says he believes the university is stronger now than before he arrived.
Before going to Auburn in 2017, Leath was president of Iowa State University and vice president for research and sponsored programs for the University of North Carolina System.