Board of Regents Announces Departure of President Sladek

(THOUSAND OAKS, CA – July 23, 2007) – California Lutheran University’s (CLU) Board of Regents today announced the resignation of President John Sladek effective July 23, 2007. Dr. Sladek, a renowned neuroscience researcher, will return to the University of Colorado to renew his work to eradicate the debilitating effects of Down syndrome and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Sladek became CLU’s sixth president in 2006 after leaving his position as a Vice Chancellor for the University of Colorado. During his brief tenure, Dr. Sladek was a highly visible figure on campus and in the community, and was instrumental in reaching out to alumni and private donors to increase giving. He welcomed CLU’s largest-ever incoming freshman class, and oversaw a new budget model for university salaries.

“For the past six years, CLU has experienced unprecedented growth with our endowment, our student body and our reputation. Dr. Sladek played a leadership role of substantial impact in that growth,” said Chair of the Board of Regents Bill Kane. “We hope that the same dedication and tenacity that he brought to his CLU presidency will enable him to discover cures to help eliminate Down syndrome and Parkinson’s disease.”

“I am honored at the opportunities afforded to me by CLU, and I am proud that I was able to have an impact on the university’s long-term goals,” Dr. Sladek said. “In my year here, I’ve become part of the fabric of the university and a welcomed member of the campus community. However, I am excited to funnel my passion and energy toward biomedical research, which means that I will return to my family and life in Colorado.”

CLU has announced that the Rev. Dr. Howard Wennes will replace Dr. Sladek as Interim President. The board is committed to conducting a thorough search for a new president who will continue to lend to CLU’s history and reputation. The board is confident that the next president will help prepare the next generation of leaders to be strong in character, confident in their skills and abilities, and committed to service and justice.

CLU is a selective, comprehensive liberal arts and sciences university located in Thousand Oaks, with graduate centers in Oxnard and Woodland Hills. With an enrollment of more than 3,200 students, CLU offers 36 undergraduate majors and graduate programs within the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and School of Education. Doctoral degrees in educational leadership and higher education leadership are also offered. Members of the CLU student body come from across the nation and around the world and represent a diversity of faiths and cultures. For more information, please visit www.callutheran.edu.