Office of the Provost

Announcement

March 30, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce that Dr. William Shields has accepted my offer to become the President of the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, effective August 1, 2005.

Dr. Shields completed his undergraduate studies at Carroll College, and earned his master's and doctoral degrees in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh. He had a highly successful tenure as President of Rockford College, in Rockford, Illinois, where he built positive and cooperative relationships with the internal and external communities and completed the largest capital campaign in that college’s long history. He has also served as President of the College of Great Falls in Great Falls, Montana.

More recently, Dr. Shields served as Interim President of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford from 2002 to 2003. During that time, he developed a process for systematic academic program review, strengthened the campus’s emphasis on outreach and regional service, developed marketing strategies to attract part-time students, and established articulation agreements with a number of other post-secondary institutions in the area. Currently, he is serving as Interim President of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where he led the coordination of the University of Maine System Strategic plan through the establishment of a consortial structure among the three UM campuses at Presque Isle, Fort Kent and Machais and has overseen the construction of a $9 million health and recreation facility. He serves as senior consultant to the Mission and Identity project of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

During his distinguished career, Dr. Shields has been a strong community leader. He received the Outstanding Community Service Award while President of the College of Great Falls. At Rockford, Dr. Shields has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Rockford Health Council, as chair of the Greater Rockford Council of 100 and as vice chair of the Federation of Illinois Independent Colleges and Universities.

I have great confidence that Dr. Shields will provide thoughtful academic leadership to the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, bringing to bear his experience, wisdom, and integrity in developing the Titusville Campus’s strengths and priorities. I look forward very much to continuing to work with Dr. Shields and the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville community as we identify academic opportunities and work toward our shared goal of excellence.

Sincerely,

James V. Maher

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