COLUMBIA, S.C. — After three years in the position, Columbia College President Dr. William T. (Tom) Bogart has announced he will be leaving the school at the end of the current academic year. Bogart informed the Columbia College Board of Trustees he will be returning to Cleveland, Ohio, in the summer to be closer to his family and rejoin the faculty of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
Board Chair Ben Rex thanked Bogart for his service and enumerated some of Bogart's accomplishments during his tenure that included
- increasing student enrollment by more than 25%
- guiding a smooth transition from a single-gender to a fully co-ed environment
- renewing the college's accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges for an additional 10 years
- securing a $16 million bond for the school
- working with faculty to secure a $3.4 million Federal grant to support the College’s Alternative Pathways to Education Certification program to train K-12 teachers.
In a statement, Bogart said, "Columbia College is a remarkable place. The faculty and staff are exceptional, the students are vibrant and poised for impact, the alumni are passionate, and the trustees show outstanding commitment to the thoughtful growth of this important institution. Mary and I are grateful for the opportunity to serve and are confident that a very bright future awaits the College. Only our need to be closer to family compels us to conclude our service to the College.”
A search committee has been formed to find Bogart's successor and the board will retain WittKeifer executive search company to assist in the process.