George Campbell, Cooper Union President, To Retire In 2011

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art announced Tuesday that its president, George Campbell Jr., will retire at the end of the 2010-11 academic year, after 10 years at the college.

Under Mr. Campbell’s leadership, Cooper Union—which offers free tuition for every student—has made $200 million in capital investments, replacing 40% of the school’s aging facilities and renovating most of the remaining space. In 2001, Mr. Campbell launched a fundraising campaign for the school, raising $190 million to date, nearly quadruple the outcome of its previous campaign.

The college, which offers degrees in architecture, engineering and art, achieved a balanced operating budget for the first time in decades in 2008, and rebuilt its endowment from a low of less than $100 million in 2001 to a high of $600 million.

“The college owes (Mr. Campbell) an immense debt of gratitude,” said Mark Epstein, chairman of the board at Cooper Union. In reflecting on the past 10 years, “what comes to mind is how strong The Cooper Union has become under President Campbell’s transformational leadership and how our long standing reputation for academic excellence has continued to grow.”

Indeed, Cooper Union is ranked number one academically among Baccalaureate Colleges by U.S. News and World Report.

The college is putting together a search committee to find Mr. Campbell’s replacement.