Citadel President Commits to Two More Years
July 8, 2014
CHARLESTON, SC – Lt. Gen. John Rosa will remain as president of The Citadel for at least two more years following a contract agreement reached with The Citadel Board of Visitors. The agreement extends the commitment of the college’s 19th president until at least June 30, 2016, with the option of renewing the open-ended contract on a yearly basis beyond that date.
“The Board of Visitors unanimously supports John and Donna Rosa. We have been fortunate to have the strong leadership of John Rosa for the past eight years,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Steele, chair of The Citadel Board of Visitors. “John Rosa is an extraordinary leader. He lives our core values of Honor, Duty and Respect and represents everything The Citadel and our alumni aspire to be. We could not ask for a better team to lead The Citadel.
Rosa said his decision to commit to additional years was influenced by his desire to move the college closer to the goals of LEAD 2018, the college’s ambitious strategic plan. “As a cadet, The Citadel had a powerful influence on me,” Rosa said. “Now, as I approach the final years of my career, Donna and I want to make a difference at this institution that has been so much a part of our lives.”
When Rosa became president, he saw the need for a comprehensive program that would involve every cadet in systematic leadership training. One of the crowning achievements of his administration has been the implementation of a four-year leader development model that is available to every cadet. The program takes cadets through the stages of following, serving, leading and commanding in a framework that emphasizes the core values of honor, duty and respect.
Other successes in Rosa’s administration include expanded academic programs and record enrollments in the Corps of Cadets. The president has used his experience in strategic planning and fundraising to improve the financial health of the college and build endowments in The Citadel Foundation. During the past three years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked The Citadel as the top public college in the South among colleges offering master’s degrees.
Rosa became president of The Citadel in January 2006. The extension to his contract means that with a 10-year tenure, Rosa could be the longest serving president of the college since Gen. Mark Clark, who served as 11th president from 1954 to 1965.
Rosa’s original contract went through June of 2015. The contract amendment does not alter the president’s base compensation of $336,200 which includes a state salary of $151,200 plus a supplement of $185,000 from The Citadel Foundation. The amendment does allow the president to receive an annual bonus for continued support and implementation of objectives in LEAD 2018 strategic plan. No state funds or tuition would be used for bonuses.
“The fact that John Rosa will continue to lead the college is great news for all in The Citadel family,” Steele said. “Thanks to the Rosas, our college has momentum. The Citadel will be ideally positioned to confront the challenges facing higher education and still offer a remarkable education in keeping with our military character and mission of developing principled leaders.”
