It took the University of Toledo Board of Trustees less than a week to pick the person they wanted to lead UToledo once President Gregory Postel announced on April 23 that he was leaving UT to accept a position at the University of Cincinnati.
On April 29, Matt Schroeder, then UT’s chief financial officer, was named interim president. More than five months in, it appears the trustees are pleased with their decision, as there is no ongoing search for a permanent president.
Meghan Cunningham, vice president for marketing and communications, said a search committee has not been formed and she is “not familiar with those plans” of if and when one will be formed.
Either way, Schroeder has every intention of being a candidate.
“At some point, the board of trustees will do a search, and they should do a search. When that happens, I have every intention to throw my hat in the ring,” Schroeder said. “I think what I have to offer this university at this time and at this point of need has great value.”
Schroeder received his bachelor’s degree in management at UT’s business college and has an MBA in business administration from the University of Michigan.
“My vision for the University of Toledo is to be a regional force powering opportunities to learn, care, work, and play,” Schroeder said.
In early June, Larry Kelley was hired as the CFO to fill the void created by Schroeder’s new position. Kelley had served as UT’s CFO from 2015 to 2018 but left for other opportunities
“I can’t do two jobs, and it would be a disservice to the University to do two jobs,” Schroeder said about the hiring of Kelley.
During his brief tenure, Schroeder has dealt with an array of issues. Perhaps the most pressing is the continuing decline in enrollment. On Sept. 10, UT announced the fall enrollment numbers. UT tallied 14,440 students total, which is down 573 from last fall semester, a 3.8 percent decline.
Schroeder defended the overall number decreasing, but acknowledged it’s time to stabilize and grow after the recent slide in enrollment, while also saying growing clinical margins is one of his top priorities as acting president.
“Just because enrollment is down, there are wins within the overall numbers,” Schroeder said. “Transfers up, pharmacy is up, engineering is up, law is up a record number.”
Schroeder said identifying who they are as a university is critical.
“Invest in those programs that the students want and need and that the economy wants and needs.”
While the fall enrollment numbers may be the most tangible issue the interim president has faced, in July he dealt with the reaction to UToledo’s latest re-branding efforts.
On July 16, officials announced the University was adding magenta and cyan to the branding color palette, but stressed that midnight blue and gold will still be the primary school colors.
“Our midnight blue and gold is not changing, that is who we are, that is who we will always be,” Schroeder stressed.
The introduction of additional colors to UToledo’s marketing efforts is something that Schroeder inherited, as the process was started long before he was named interim president. Either way, he is hopeful that this, along with the new campaign slogan “The Power To Do,” will help UT have a clear marketing plan.
“Going back to 2006ish, the University of Toledo lacked a comprehensive marketing campaign,” he said.
He hopes the new slogan, aided with the additional colors, might help unify the university’s recruitment efforts.
