Witt Selected as Chancellor; Bonner Named Interim UA President

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama System has named UA President Dr. Robert E. Witt as the new chancellor of the System’s three campuses and the health system. Witt replaces Dr. Malcolm Portera, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Judy Bonner will serve as UA’s interim president. 

 “Since 2003, The University of Alabama has thrived under the vision and leadership of Dr.  Witt,” said Bonner.  “During the next few months, I look forward to working with the UA family to keep our University on a trajectory of growth with quality, and to maintaining our long-standing commitment to excellence in every endeavor.  Our outstanding faculty and staff demonstrate their commitment to our students and their success on a daily basis, and I am honored to have this opportunity to serve as interim president during this time of transition. We look forward to working with Dr. Witt in his new role as chancellor of the UA System, and wish him much success in the years to come.”

“Judy Bonner is the senior administrator I have worked with most closely during my nine years as president of UA. She has been by my side as we have framed the vision for our future and as we have executed the strategic plan that has turned that vision into a reality,”  Witt said.

Bonner was promoted to UA’s executive vice president and provost on April 1, 2006, after serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs since March 2003. Bonner holds two degrees from The University of Alabama – the B.S. in nutrition and the M.S. in food and nutrition – and the Ph.D. in human nutrition from The Ohio State University. She was named dean of the College of Human Environmental Studies at UA in 1989 and, prior to that, served as special assistant to the president, assistant academic vice president and head of the department of human nutrition and hospitality management. She has held faculty positions at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and The Ohio State University. Bonner is an active member of civic, scientific and professional organizations and is the author of numerous articles.

 

Contact

Cathy Andreen, director of media relations, 205/348-8322, candreen@ur.ua.edu