The assistant to the president of Ohio University is leaving ' this time, he says, for good.
Alan Geiger, a key aide to OU President Roderick McDavis, secretary of the Board of Trustees and long-time university employee who served under three presidents, announced Friday he will leave the university June 30.
I think it's my time
Geiger said. I've had a long and remarkable career here.
This is the second time that Geiger, whose annual salary is $147,803, has retired. When McDavis took office in 2004, Geiger tendered his resignation but McDavis refused and asked Geiger to stay on.
I've been thinking about it for years Geiger said.
Geiger has worked in the president's office since 1984, serving for presidents Charles Ping (1975-94), Robert Glidden (1994-04) and McDavis. Aside from serving as an assistant, Geiger was the default university lobbyist until Teri Geiger ' not related ' was hired last year.
Geiger started in 1967 under OU President Vernon Alden (1962-69) as the university's first campus planner. Eventually, he moved into government relations until Ping drafted him to Cutler Hall in 1984.
Geiger was the trusted point man for the university's lobby in Columbus, even if he didn't spend as much time in Columbus as other university lobbyists, Glidden said.
A person who's done as many things as Alan Geiger has done is hard to replace with just one person Glidden said.
Glidden added that Geiger provides institutional memory for the university and helped him make the transition to the Athens campus when he took office in 1994 from Florida State University.
Alan is a go-to guy
Glidden said, adding that he handles problems the president doesn't have time for and smoothes feathers.
I couldn't count the number of ways he helped me during my entire tenure
Glidden said.
Now Geiger said he is embarking on retirement without a clear plan.
I'm really looking forward to look at the world a little bit differently
he said.
The university will conduct a national search to find a replacement, he said.
Geiger is the second person this week to formally announce plans to leave the university. Michael Mumper, associate provost for graduate studies, is leaving next year to fill the provost position at Adams State College in Colorado.
Terry Hogan, dean of students, is a candidate for the vice president for student affairs at Binghamton University in New York.
Glenn Corlett, dean of the College of Business, also is retiring at the end of the year.
'Dave Hendricks contributed to this story
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