W&L President Ruscio to step down in July 2016

LEXINGTON (WSLS 10) - Washington & Lee University's president, Kenneth P. Ruscio, announced he will step down as the school's president on June 30, 2016.

Ruscio will have been president of his alma mater for ten years when he leaves the position. 
In a letter to the university community, Ruscio said that he had no timetable in mind when he became president in July 2006, but "a decade now seems about right - enough to have achieved many of our goals and the right moment for the university to start anticipating the new ones."

Rector of the W&L Board of Trustees Donald Childress said in a statement the board accepted President Ruscio's decision with reluctance, but admires his leadership.  

In his letter to the community, Ruscio praised the quality of the people who compose Washington and Lee: "The strength of this community has always been its people - the thousands of alumni who remain dedicated to their alma mater, the creative teacher-scholars on the faculty, the devoted and highly competent staff, the parents and families of the students, and most important, our students. I certainly knew that before assuming the presidency. That is affirmed every day I go to the office."

Ruscio will take some time off before returning as a member of the university's faculty for the 2017-18 academic year.