“I did not make this decision lightly,” Spina wrote in a blog post. “It came after months of reflection, prayer, and conversation.”
Spina became UD’s president in 2016. Key points in his tenure include founding The Hub Powered by PNC Bank in downtown Dayton, the establishment of the Greater West Dayton Incubator, building the Roger Glass Center for the Arts, and the start of the onMain development with Premier Health.
Spina also led UD as the university completed the We Soar campaign, UD’s first comprehensive campaign in 20 years. The effort exceeded its philanthropic goal by 13%, raising $453 million, according to UD.
With more than a year remaining in his tenure, Spina is focused on advancing UD’s mission alongside his leadership team and ensuring a smooth presidential transition, UD said in a statement.
The University of Dayton board of trustees is engaging an executive search firm to support the transition process.
“Dr. Spina’s successful decade-plus as president of UD has brought transparent leadership, stability, and inspiration to campus and the greater Dayton region,” said Deb Tobias, chair of the University of Dayton board of trustees
Tobias praised Spina for preserving UD’s commitment to community, inspiring a philanthropic ethos on campus, and modeling to students that UD is a welcoming higher education institution.
“Eric has prepared the university to meet the future with optimism and determination,” Tobias said.
Before coming to Dayton, Spina spent 28 years at Syracuse University as an engineering faculty member, department chair, funded researcher, dean, and nearly nine years as vice chancellor and provost.
A native of Buffalo, New York, he graduated from Canisius High School, Carnegie Mellon University and Princeton University. At Syracuse, he retired as a trustee professor and vice chancellor and provost emeritus.
About the Author
