President Robert K. Knight has announced that he plans to retire at the end of the 2018-2019 contract year on August 31.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I want to thank President Knight for his exemplary service during his 13 years leading Clark College,” said Royce Pollard, chair of the Clark College Board of Trustees. “For more than a decade, he has provided stability and vision that has allowed the college to grow, adapt, and serve its community.”

Knight joined Clark in 2004 as Vice President of Administrative Services. In 2006, he was named acting president, and a year later was named president. During his tenure, he has overseen many changes at the college, including the opening of its Columbia Tech Center location in 2009, a new STEM Building in 2016, and the development of the college’s first three Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs. 

Knight publicly announced his retirement on January 18, the day after delivering his annual State of the College address, in which he shared the news of the college’s recent successful accreditation process.

President Knight will continue to serve as president until his retirement date.

“While this is a decision that my wife and I have been weighing for some time, I wanted to see the college through its accreditation process before informing trustees and Executive Cabinet,” Knight wrote in an email to college employees this morning. “Now that our review is complete and the college has received commendations in six areas, I feel comfortable that I am leaving this institution on firm footing.”

Pollard said that the Board of Trustees will begin the work of selecting a replacement for President Knight at a special board meeting to be announced soon.

Read the full text of President Knight’s email below:

Dear college community,

As many of you know, I have spent 15 years working at Clark. It has been a privilege and an honor to lead the college for more than a decade, and I am proud of the work we have done together to serve our students and our community.

So it is with mixed emotions that I announce that I will be retiring at the end of my contract year on August 31.

While this is a decision that my wife and I have been weighing for some time, I wanted to see the college through its accreditation process before informing trustees and Executive Cabinet. Now that our review is complete and the college has received commendations in six areas, I feel comfortable that I am leaving this institution on firm footing.

The Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting, to be announced soon, to begin the process of seeking new leadership for the college. I have the utmost faith in their ability to steward the college safely through this period of transition and to find the right leadership to guide Clark into the future. In the meantime, I am committed to spending the next seven months ensuring that the college continues to work toward fulfilling its mission.

Please know that I will continue to support Clark and be a part of its community, even after I retire. After all, once a member of the Penguin Nation, always a member of the Penguin Nation.

Thank you,

Bob Knight
President