Beth Stroble will step down Dec. 31 as chancellor of Webster University after nearly 15 years as its leader. The announcement came in an email sent to the Webster community today.
University board of trustees chair Sumit Verma, in a separate email sent to faculty and staff, announced the board is beginning a global search for Stroble’s successor. University President Julian Schuster will continue serving in his current role during the transition.
Stroble’s announcement comes on the heels of a turbulent few weeks on campus, including a Sept. 19 student-led protest urging transparency and fiscal responsibility from university leaders and a no-confidence vote for Stroble and Schuster by the Faculty Assembly on the same day.
Webster has been under public scrutiny since a lawsuit came to light in early September regarding its Gateway Campus downtown, along with concern about rising salaries for Stroble and Schuster, which put them among the highest-paid university leaders in the St. Louis region.
Last month, Verma informed faculty and staff that a succession plan for Stroble had been in place since the beginning of the year in an effort to “identify Webster’s next leader.”
In today’s announcement, Stroble underlined changes the university has undergone since becoming president in 2009 and chancellor 10 years later. She pointed to “refinement of the university’s global footprint,” establishment of Webster as a “leading voice in pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and the creation of a STEM strategy that will equip generations of students with needed knowledge and skills.
“During the last decade and a half, we have worked together to strengthen and transform our capacity to meet unmet needs, extending the legacy of our founders, the Sisters of Loretto,” Stroble said.
Following an already-planned sabbatical in early 2024, Stroble said she will continue to serve the university in “a position of support…with a focus on alumni relations and fundraising.”
At this time, the details of Stroble’s future role are not known, but she said her commitment to the university’s mission will continue.
“The future of this institution continues to be bright because of the resilient and resourceful spirit of Webster’s faculty, staff and students,” she said. “I have seen firsthand the impact Webster has on the students we serve and the communities they call home. I will always support that exceptional work.”
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