Below, for your reference, is the full text of former President Julio Frenk’s video message (above) to the University of Miami community.
Today is my last day as President of the University of Miami. As Board of Trustees Chair Manny Kadre shared with you this afternoon, earlier today I was appointed Chancellor-designate of the University of California, Los Angeles.
I consider it one of my life’s greatest privileges to have worked alongside you through this momentous period. Our institution and the place it calls home bring together a fascinating mix of distinct voices, which blend in a shared identity as ’Canes, allowing us to face any challenge head on, and together.
Indeed, it is my time at the University of Miami that has qualified me for the responsibilities ahead. Over the past nine years, we—our Board, our faculty and staff, nine cohorts of students, our ardent alumni, supporters, and fans around the world—have gone through a great deal.
At each step of the way, UM has modeled, for others in higher education and across society, how the primacy of the institution can advance the higher aspirations of individuals and communities.
I believe in institutions. They are the instruments humans have invented to overcome the inevitably temporary nature of the positions we occupy. Institutions are what we build with others so that when we leave, the mission persists.
The ultimate duty of any leader—the ethical imperative of leadership—is to safeguard the legacy received from our predecessors and hand it enriched to our successors. Thanks to your hard work and support, I depart with the satisfaction of having met that high standard. I cannot fully express the depth of my gratitude to you all.
The University of Miami has never shied away from taking smart risks. It was that willingness to look at things from a different perspective that guided us through challenges like the pandemic, and the ensuing financial and social changes it wrought.
One way we distinguished ourselves was in pursuit of the goal of administrative excellence, which must include careful succession planning. In this context, we adopted an innovative management model that has worked beautifully, leading the University to its strongest position yet academically, financially, and with regard to prestige and reputation.
Because of that model, I knew when faced with the decision to accept a new role that—even on short notice—I could leave the U in great hands.
Joe Echevarria, our exemplary CEO and an incomparable leader, has been absolutely essential to navigating every crisis and challenge we have overcome during my tenure as president.
As the University of Miami approaches its centennial, the Board’s decision today is the best way to propel this institution’s trajectory of continuous improvement towards greatness. There is no doubt that Joe is the right person to take the helm as the U navigates this transition.
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of the storied history of an institution that will transcend us all.
I will never forget that this is One U. |
