Antioch College names interim president

Xenia mother charged with child endangering
Updated 19 min. ago
Hearing postponed in alpaca case
Updated 21 min. ago
Washington Twp. woman charged with assault of police officer
4:45 p.m.
Suspect sought in ‘vicious’ fatal assault
4:40 p.m.
Coaster lovers take marathon ride for good cause
4:14 p.m.
> More headlines

E-mail this page

By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer Updated 9:44 PM Wednesday, December 9, 2009

YELLOW SPRINGS — Matthew Derr’s appointment as interim president of Antioch College is “a sign the college is moving into more permanent structures,” he said Wednesday, Dec. 9, shortly after the board announced the move.

Derr most recently was chief transition officer for Antioch, which became a new, independent college on Sept. 4.

“Matthew Derr has been vital to the transition of the college to an independent institution for the first time in 40 years,” said Lee Morgan, Antioch College board chair.

“Now is the time to move forward with rebuilding the physical facility, articulating a vision for the future and preparing to reopen in the fall of 2011,” Morgan said.

Derr, 42, will oversee campus renovation, expansion of the capital campaign, and the hiring and organization of administrative staff. He also will focus on developing curriculum and the faculty profile.

A national search for Antioch’s new president will start in late winter or early spring, Derr said, adding, “I don’t intend to throw my hat in the ring.”

The college’s Antioch Hall and South Hall have undergone repairs in recent months, according to Derr.

In January, college offices will move to South Hall. “That’s a huge symbolic shift for us,” Derr said.

Derr is a 1989 Antioch graduate and a former member of the college’s alumni board .

Previously, Derr served as vice president for institutional advancement at the Boston Conservatory, a performing arts college in Massachusetts. He also has held top administrative positions at Earlham College, the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and Connecticut College.

In September, Antioch’s campus and other assets were transferred to the newly independent college from Antioch University, which operates five other campuses in four states. The college closed in June 2008 because of declining enrollment and other issues.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Must be the first time in history a college was whinned into existence. Now let's see if the exclusionary staff and town can whine the bills being paid or whine students into a backward town with the promise of pot smoking teachers and cops and a DQ for those muchie days!

Dan
1:06 PM, 12/10/2009

REPORT ABUSE

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.