It's only January, but the head of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus will be stepping down at the end of the year.
USF President Steven Currall announced Monday that Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock will move back into a faculty position in the College of Education effective Dec. 31.
Tadlock said it's the right time to make the change, adding that it will give him more time to spend with his family.
“I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to President Currall for his generous support for my decision. He graciously offered to extend my contract further but I thought it was a good time for this move," said Tadlock. "I'm looking forward to a more flexible schedule that will allow LaRae (his wife) and me the opportunity to spend precious time with children and grandchildren. The outlook is bright on our campus and I feel fortunate to work with so many incredible colleagues to create a better future for our students."
Tadlock added the decision will allow a new leader to help oversee the multi-year development and implementation of proposed academic clusters on the St. Petersburg campus.
Tadlock led the St. Petersburg campus while its accreditation — along with that of the Tampa and Sarasota-Manatee campuses — was brought underneath one umbrella.
He was named interim chancellor in September 2017 before taking on the job permanently in August 2018. He replaced Sophia Wisniewska, who stepped down in a dispute with then USF President Judy Genshaft following Hurricane Irma. At the time, Tadlock was serving as Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic affairs at USF St. Petersburg.
In October 2017, shortly after taking the job, Tadlock told WUSF's University Beat, "It's not about me personally, it's about us, it's about the collective we at the university. We have strong people here, we have good leadership, we have people in key positions that move the institution forward, we have plans, we have priorities."
USF St. Petersburg saw the opening of a new residence hall during Tadlock's tenure, as well as improvements in student retention rates. However, the campus also is undertaking efforts to try to improve its minority student enrollment.
“I thank Dr. Tadlock for his contributions, and I am grateful for his commitment to helping to ensure continuity and a smooth transition in leadership for the USF St. Petersburg campus and community over the next few months,” said Currall.
Tadlock, who began his career as a middle school teacher 30 years ago, served in a number of leadership roles in higher education, including as Provost/Vice President at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in northern Minnesota; Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh; and Provost/Interim President at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.
A search for a new regional chancellor will begin later this spring.
