Kazee to Step Down as UE President

The school says the Kazees plan to move to South Carolina to spend more time with family.

University of Evansville President Tom Kazee says he will step down in May of 2018. The school says since his inauguration in 2010, Kazee has led the implementation of a facilities master plan and helped secure the largest gift in school history.

The facilities master plan includes new student townhouses and renovations to academic buildings such as the Bower-Suhrheinrich Library. Another project, the major renovation of Hyde Hall, is set for renovation next year following a $5 million fundraising effort. The historic donation during Kazee’s tenure was $39 million left by the estate of William Ridgway.

The school says it also added several new academic programs during Kazee’s time in office, including a Physician Assistant  and Public Health master’s programs and a degree in Statistics and Data Science. His tenure also saw the launch of the "UE Guarantee" in 2015, which promised that eligible students would graduate in four years, or the fifth would be paid for by the university.

"It’s impossible to thank each person I’ve been fortunate to work with during my time at UE,” said Kazee. "I hope each and every one of them—students, faculty, staff, and administrators—know how truly grateful I am to have worked alongside such a passionate and talented group of people."

Before coming to the University of Evansville, Kazee spent 18 years on the faculty at Davidson College and four as dean of the college at the University of the South. He also served as provost and executive vice president at Furman University. The school says the Kazees plan to move to South Carolina after the 2017-2018 academic year to spend more time with family.