Look through 6 years: President Bob Davies's legacy, Central Michigan University future

Davies announced his resignation in a letter to the campus on Jan. 31. He will be stepping down as the 15th president at CMU on Dec. 31, leaving a little more than nine months to create a transition and solid ground for the future.

“Students, just keep on being amazing,” Davies said. “You’re inheriting a world that is more difficult than I inherited. Then, you’re going to find a way, you’re going to find a path to make your section of the world better.

“At the end of the day … I won’t remember the frustrations. I remember seeing the joy in the students when they succeed.”

Resignation and the contract

CMU Board of Trustees Chair Todd Regis responded to Davies’ resignation in a written statement on Jan. 31, thanking the president for his service. Regis said Davies reached out to him over Christmas break, informing him about his decision to step down.

“I was a little surprised,” Regis said. “And certainly, at that point, we had some conversation where Dr. Davies explained that his family has been talking about it, it was a personal choice. … And I think when anybody in any position of leadership makes a decision like that, I don’t think he made it overnight in any way.”

In an August 2023 Q&A with Central Michigan Life, Davies said that he planned to stick around for as long as possible.

But as a university president, Davies said he didn’t have an opportunity to take a day off or step away for a week. Even when on family vacations, he still held work meetings. That made Davies question whether his goals needed to be more personal.

“I will still continue to be a leader in higher education in one way or another,” Davies said. “(It) doesn’t have to be from a presidency, it could be a different way. … My contract allows me to go into a faculty (role), if I so choose, and I’ve always been wanting to be engaged with students.”

Davies will receive a total of $1.25 million in compensation until 2026, according to a separation contract he and the Board of Trustees signed Jan. 16. That includes an annual $450,000 salary until the end of 2025, an emeritus status and other benefits, including the use of a university car, country club membership and travel reimbursement for he and his wife, when the travel is university related. 

His duties require him to act as a consultant for the next president. The contract also includes an option starting in 2026, to be a tenured professor in the College of Business and College of Eduation and Human Services. His proposed annual salary to teach a graduate course each semester is $243,377. Davies said he hasn’t decided yet if he is going to join the CMU faculty after his presidency. 

Regis said the trustees review and discuss the president’s contract every year. When Davies informed them about his resignation, the trustees had conversations and made a final contract.

When it comes to working with the board for his ressignation, Davies said it is standard procedure. He added it is also common to have a contract...“It’s very common to have a contract that provides the opportunity to have … a transition year to look at other university presidents. 

“I have full confidence in the board (that) the selection process will find the person (who) will take what we’ve created, this foundation, and continue to … make it stronger, better,” Davies said. The Board of Trustees special session will discuss the search process and appoint the search advisory commitee on Friday, March 15. 

“For me, it’s about finding the right person that can run the place,” Regis said. “Someone who can build upon what the 15 previous presidents have done. Some of it’s going to have some knowledge and experience that will be able to keep us on track. 

“And especially when you look at our shared governance model to continue that and partner with the board and CMU students, faculty and our staff, to get us through our wonderful vision statement that we have put together.”

Until December, Davies is the president, and CMU will continue to provide students with services as best it can, Regis said. 

“Look, we have a boatload of applications right now for ... freshmen and transfer students to come here,” Regis said. “I don’t want any of them to think that the university is in any way positioned poorly. I want them to understand that … we are continuing to move on everything to provide the best services and education we can at one of the most affordable prices in the state.”

Davies, in his remaining time, plans to create a smooth transition for the next president and keep the university moving. 

“It also goes back to making sure we continue to see enrollment growth, and making sure that we continue to see the growth in philanthropic activity,” Davies said. “(Making) sure that we’re following through on this strategic plan … so that continues to be that living document; continue to press on academic rigor and say, ‘How can we continue to get better at the core of the academic heart of the university?’

“Those are the things that I’m looking forward to.”

A leader’s legacy

Davies said he is most proud of accomplishments in enrollment, academic standards, brand awareness, strategic planning and philanthropy. 

“We were able to take some real specific elements from (students’) academic records, academic excellence, just recently (we have seen a) nursing program,” Davies said. “Over the past several years, we did an amazing job with data analytics, and (saw) the increases in the statistics courses and the math programs around those, and I think those are absolutely amazing.

However, enrollment numbers have dropped by 33% since Davies took the office in 2018. When he was named CMU president, the enrollment was 21,705 students. It has been falling by about 1,000 students each year; most recent enrollment data showed 14,423 in fall 2023, according to university statistics. 

CMU was Davies’ third career presidency; he left a legacy in other places as well. 

His first was at Eastern Oregon University, where he served as the 11th president from 2009 to 2011.

Tim Seydel, EOU’s vice president for University Advancement, worked with Davies throughout those six years, taking trips together to lobby at the state capitol in Salem on behalf of the students there.

“I enjoyed working with (Davies) when he was president at the university here,” Seydel said. “I think we did some really good work at the university and … I always appreciated his energy and enthusiasm for student engagement.”

At Oregon, one of Davies’s accomplishments was the development of an independent governing board that focuses on fiduciary responsibilities, Seydel said. For example, the board built a sustainability plan, which Davies’s successor continued. 

Additionally, Seydel said Davies started working on international recruitment, taking trips to China to invite international students. He also worked on bringing in diverse groups to EOU’s campus, especially Latino students, Seydel said. 

In July 2014, Davies accepted the president’s position at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. In September 2018, he became CMU’s president.

CM Life made several attempts to reach out to Murray State University; officials didn’t reply by deadline. 

Looking into the future 

Davies reflected, when he was approached about the presidency for CMU, there was a focus to get enrollment back in order. It was important for him to not just admit as many students as possible, but to keep academic standards and build academic excellence, he said. 

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the enrollment numbers decline, Davies said. 

Additionally, national data show higher education has been on the decline since 2010. That year, a record 21.02 million students matriculated, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In 2021, the most recent year for which numbers are available, only 18.66 million American students took college courses.

“Every university is dealing with the same issues,” Davies said. “This also is going to be an issue for higher education, probably, for the next seven, eight years.”

Enrollment for EOU has been a challenge as well, Seydel said. According to the EOU website, there were 3,957 students in fall 2009 when Davies took over. The enrollment increased to 4,298 students in fall 2011 but fell to 3,653 students in fall 2014. 

“There is no silver bullet,” Davies said about increasing enrollment. “There is nothing that all of a sudden you’re gonna snap your fingers and, ‘Oh, we’ll do this and, boom … students (will) show up.”

Davies said to think about enrollment in cycles of four or five years. Additionally, as students are coming in with more credits, they’re graduating faster, he said.

“Having an increase in freshman class one year won’t increase your total enrollment,” he said. “It’s going to take three or four or five years of increasing (numbers) that finally catch it up.”

To secure the future increase in enrollment, Davies said CMU is working on academic assistance through supplemental instruction to help students get through their first two years at college, and working with academic advisors. 

“I think that we’ve got some great professionals that are looking at numbers, that are looking at the best practices that we can do to help increase and stabilize enrollment,” Regis said. “We’re looking at future increases there.”

Regis said there are opportunities for new students to come on campus and participate in programs, such as a new nursing degree. Meanwhile, improvements in dorms will encourage students to stay, he said.

“I look forward to continuing to make this a better university together,” Regis said. “I look forward to us completing the presidential search and finding the best possible candidate to take on the legacy of the 15 previous and continue to do it. 

“I look forward to all the great things that are already going on, on campus and the many more that we don’t even have any idea will happen in the next step.”