RMU President Chris Howard to Join Executive Leadership Team at Arizona State University
Full Statement from President Chris Howard:
To say that it has been both an honor and a privilege to serve as the eighth president of Robert Morris University the past six years would be a gross understatement. Barbara and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time working with the amazing faculty, staff, administration, Board of Trustees and especially the students as well as their families. Our lives as well those of our sons, Cohen and Joshua, have been enriched by the kindness the entire RMU and greater Pittsburgh community have extended to us during our over half a decade tenure. Even the sting of losing our beloved dog, Sammy, during the pandemic stung a bit less as a result of the Colonial Nation’s thoughtful support during that difficult time. Like any role, we have experienced the ups and downs one might expect. However, through it all, the friends we made here have always lifted us up, providing thoughts and prayers that ultimately carried the day.
With a successful comprehensive campaign coming to an end, coupled with hitting over 80 percent of the strategic plan goals for “RMU 100” and a solid rebound in admissions, the time has come for me to move on. That said, Barbara and I do plan on maintaining some of our civic and philanthropic connections to the Pittsburgh region. The university remains in the hands of a talented, seasoned leadership team with a capable and committed board. Much like the institution Barbara and I will be joining, they are willing and able to innovate, a much-needed trait in today’s ever-changing higher education landscape. I think our trademarked unofficial motto says it all: RMU is “Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care” and will continue to thrive during the next hundred years just as it has during the previous hundred.
Thank you and Go RMU!
Six-year retrospective – A record of success:
Dr. Chris Howard became the eighth president of Robert Morris University (RMU) in Moon Township on February 1, 2016, having previously served as president of Hampden-Sydney College for almost seven years. During his tenure, RMU was designated a nationally-ranked doctoral granting university for the first time. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school in its Top 50 “Best Value Schools” in America for academic quality and affordability, joined in Pennsylvania only by Carnegie Mellon University, Villanova University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Lehigh University. Howard’s leadership team successfully launched the RMU 100 strategic plan and the Ready to Rise comprehensive campaign, both culminating in December 2021 as the school celebrated its centennial.
The university achieved or made progress in more than 80% of its goals and in the process has become a preferred strategic partner for corporations, organizations, professionals, and aspiring professionals in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. With the creation of the Office of Corporate Relations and Strategic Initiatives, the Sales Center of Excellence, and Center for Equity and Professional Advancement, RMU’s robust connections to the economic engines in the region soared. Other highlights of the plans’ successes include record increases in graduation rates for all students but particularly among African Americans, an average first-year job placement rate of over 93%, and impressive growth in market-facing academic offerings in areas like health sciences, supply chain management, financial planning, data analytics and user interface/user experience (UI/UX) design. Veterans also thrived under the plan as their enrollment grew, buoyed by the creation of the Center for Veterans and Military Families. College Factual ranked RMU in the top 10% for “Best Schools for Veterans.”
The “Ready to Rise” campaign achieved a record-setting $113 million, well over the original goal of $100 million and almost three times the previous campaign total. Hallmarks included the construction of the UPMC Events Center (the largest capital project in school history), the North Athletic Complex, and a significant expansion of the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. The university endowed its first full-time professorship and won several NCAA D1 conference championships in both men’s and women’s sports. Other noteworthy gifts came from philanthropist and entrepreneur Alba Tull; WWE Chief Branding Officer Stephanie McMahon; RMU alumna Brenda Lauderback, chairwoman of Denny’s corporate board of directors; and Kent Rockwell to create the Rockwell Fellowship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
With the motto “Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care,” RMU remained intensely focused on outcomes and impact. Smart 50 Magazine named the school an honoree for its Impact Award, recognizing the institution’s ability to leverage technology, data analytics, and human-centered design to get students to and through their respective programs as part of the RMU Thrive initiative. Other points of success included Credit for Life, a program offering academic credit for work experience and training, the Colonial Success Fund income share agreement, and credential-stacking programs that include certificates. RMU was also among the first universities in the state to partner with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Academy to offer courses taught by professors sanctioned to prepare students for AWS cloud computing certification exams. Committed to building robust education, training, and career pipelines for learners of all ages, Howard’s tenure was marked by the creation of the RMU Gateway program, offering dual admissions and enrollment opportunities to four local community colleges, expansion of the College in High School program with special emphasis on educating future teachers, and expansion of the Center for Innovation and Outreach to ultimately reach over 2,200 K-12 students annually.
Howard’s leadership and managerial acumen were evident during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, when his team launched the RMU Ready Plan, one of the first manuals on returning to in-classroom instruction published in Pennsylvania. Although enrollment growth was stymied by the pandemic and declining demographics, during his final fall semester the incoming class grew by more than 23 percent year over year and was the most diverse and gender-balanced in RMU’s history, as well as boasting the highest GPA.
Locally, Howard served on the board of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, The African American Leadership Institute (TALI), and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (ex-officio) and chaired St. Clair Health’s Quality, Safety and Service Committee. In addition, he and his wife, Barbara, co-chaired the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Point in Time Gala in 2017, which set a fundraising record for that event. They also served on the Magee-Womens Research Institute $1 million Magee Prize advisory committee. Beyond the region, Howard served on the board of the American Council on Education, the Harvard University Board of Overseers, and was a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and the National Defense University Board of Visitors. He also chaired the NCAA Honors Committee and served on the NCAA Constitution Committee in addition to serving on the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.