People

IU President Michael McRobbie to Retire in 2021

• By Rhea Kelly
• 08/14/20

Michael McRobbie recently announced he will leave his post as president of Indiana University in June 2021, at the end of the current academic year. His planned retirement comes after serving 14 years as president and 24 years in senior positions at the university.

Under McRobbie's tenure, IU has made strides in student success, research and scholarly excellence, community engagement, international education, health sciences training and research, and economic development for the state of Indiana, according to a university statement. His leadership has also guided the university through the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping the IU community safe while "ensuring that Indiana's flagship public university continues contributing to the health and well-being of Hoosiers across the state," the university said.

"I am immensely proud of all that has been accomplished over the period I have been president," said McRobbie. "All the change and effort has, I believe, consolidated and elevated IU's position as one of America's premier and leading research universities. But all these accomplishments — and many more — are not a one-person show. They are the collective product of the hard and unremitting work of IU's outstanding senior leaders, the strong support of superb faculty who have embraced change, engaged and talented students who have and will continue to go on to become leaders in their chosen fields, and exceptional staff whose professionalism and dedication have been the linchpin of so many of our successes."

"In his 13 years as president, Michael McRobbie has overseen an extensive transformation of IU's academic landscape, worked tirelessly to enhance the quality and diversity of IU's student body, and strengthened IU's reputation as the state's research powerhouse," said Michael J. Mirro, chair of the IU Board of Trustees. "We are deeply grateful to him for his exceptional service, and we appreciate that he will continue to lead us through this challenging and unprecedented time in the university's history."

"Indiana University has benefited enormously from Michael McRobbie's steady leadership, wisdom, innovative ideas and experience," said Trustee Melanie Walker. "As one of the longest-tenured and most accomplished university presidents in the nation, he will leave large shoes to fill."