University Times

The University’s Board of Trustees has appointed leaders to head search and transition committees in response to Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg’s announcement that he intends to step down on Aug. 1, 2014.

B. Jean Ferketish, secretary to the Board of Trustees, and Stephen R. Tritch, board chairperson, join in a standing ovation for Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg June 28 after Nordenberg announced he would step down from his post next summer.

Searching for Nordenberg’s successor “is the single most important task that the board has undertaken since his election in 1995,” said board chairperson Stephen R. Tritch at the board’s June 28 meeting.

“Like so many others, I admire everything Mark Nordenberg has accomplished as chancellor. I have been pleased to work with him and I do regret that his service in that role will be coming to an end. However, to our good fortune, his tenure in office already has been unusually long and we all knew that this day eventually would come. Now we must do our very best to identify and recruit the best possible successor to Chancellor Nordenberg,” said Tritch.

Trustees vice chairperson Eva Blum will chair the search committee and provost emeritus James V. Maher will be the committee’s vice chair. B. Jean Ferketish, secretary of the Board of Trustees, will be the committee’s secretary.

Trustees vice chairperson Morgan O’Brien will chair the transition committee and G. Reynolds Clark, Pitt’s chief of staff and vice chancellor for external relations, will be the committee’s vice chair.

“Though the Board of Trustees ultimately is responsible to elect a new chancellor, we look forward to working with representatives of other important groups — including alumni, faculty, staff and students — as we move forward with the process of attracting and assessing candidates,” Tritch said, adding that search committee members will be named in the coming weeks.

“It is my hope that the committee as a whole can be constituted early in the new academic year so that the group can formally be charged and press forward with its important work.”

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In other business, on the recommendation of its student affairs committee (see June 13 University Times), the board approved raising the Pitt-Bradford student activities fee from $85 to $100 per term for full-time students and from $15 to $20 per term for part-time students, and approved changing the name of the University’s student health fee to the wellness fee. Both changes take effect in the fall term.

Property and facilities action

In a separate meeting on June 28, the property and facilities committee approved $37 million to complete the renovation of Benedum Hall and an additional $1.5 million toward a project approved in July 2012 to replace and upgrade a steam line that serves lower-campus buildings. The total cost of the steam line project is $6.06 million.

The Benedum renovation was implemented as part of the Pitt’s 12-year facilities plan. This final phase will focus on renovations on the 9th-12th floors, the basement and sub-basement. The work includes lab and classroom updates and renovation of the elevator lobbies, offices, conference rooms and departmental space.

According to a University release, the steam line project will upgrade approximately 900 linear feet of existing steam distribution and condensate return lines between the corner of Terrace and Lothrop streets and the corner of DeSoto and O’Hara streets.

The project is expected to provide adequate flow and pressure from the Carrillo Street steam plant to lower campus buildings and provide capacity for future campus growth.

—Kimberly K. Barlow