University President William Cale announced his resignation from his position via email to all faculty and staff members Thursday, March 6.

“I will resign from the Presidency of UNA effective July 1, but I hope to remain active with the university for an additional six months after that as we move through this transition period,” Cale wrote in the email.

Board of Trustees members will discuss the timeline and process for hiring a new president during the quarterly board meeting later this month, said Rodney Howard in a university press release. Howard currently serves as the president pro tempore of the Board of Trustees.

“We want to make the search process as transparent and thorough as possible,” Howard said in the press release. “I think we’re probably talking about a period of four to six months or longer. I would say it’s possible that we might be able to make a selection by the second semester of the 2014-15 school year.”

Board members will talk about Cale’s resignation further at the meeting on Monday, March 17 at 11 a.m.

In his email, Cale thanked faculty and staff members for their support during his tenure. He said his hope is that he can continue to assist with ongoing university projects, pending Board of Trustees members’ approval.

“While it is true that I am looking forward to this change, it is equally true that leaving all that has been accomplished and especially all that is in process is very difficult,” Cale said. “I very much look forward, pending approval from our Board, to have the opportunity to continue to focus on a few university projects where I can be helpful.”

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