(Danville) — There’s a sudden change of leadership at Averett University. The school announced Wednesday afternoon that long-time President Doctor Tiffany Franks will retire at the end of the year from the school she’s led the past 17 years.
“Nearly 17 years ago, she walked onto this campus and changed Averett,” said Dan Carlton, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees. “Franks has been a tireless leader who transformed the university, championed its students, and served as an ambassador in the community.”
At Averett, Franks oversaw renovated facilities and new capital projects, new academic programs, fundraising campaigns, strategic plans and record-breaking enrollment numbers. They also added several new sports and joined the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
“Serving alongside all of you has been the greatest honor of my professional life,” Franks said in a meeting with Averett’s faculty and staff. “The people of Averett have made the past 17 years the most fulfilling years of my life, both professionally and personally. Together we have achieved so much for our students, this incredible University, and our surrounding community, and I will always be deeply grateful for the dedication, passion and resilience you bring to Averett every day.”
The change comes a month after Averett announced they would phase out six degree programs to help match their offerings with the academic market. They accepting no new students in their bachelor’s programs in Art, Chemistry, Math, Modern Languages and Religion, as well as their master’s program in Criminal Justice. Those have low or no enrollment.
Also, Averett’s Music and Theater academic programs are being merged into a combined performing arts major.
Earlier this year, Averett dealt with what they called a budget shortfall due to “mismanagement by a former finance staffer.” That included unauthorized withdrawals from Averett’s endowment.
The school said there was no embezzlement nor criminal activity involved. But the school instituted summer furloughs. Over half of their full-time employees worked four-day weeks in June and July. There were also faculty and staff pay cuts, along with a hiring freeze. Franks and other employees took a pay cut.
In making the announcement Wednesday, Averett’s Board of Trustees also announced that Franks’ replacement has already been named.
Rev. Dr. David Joyce will be appointed as Averett’s 15th president on January sixth. Joyce has spent 27 years as a college president—most recently at Brevard College in North Carolina. His previous leadership roles were at Union College in Kentucky and Ripon College in Wisconsin.
“In our search for the next president of Averett, the Board of Trustees knew that Averett needed a strong leader with a proven record of turning around a college or university that was facing headwinds,” Carlton said. “Dr. Joyce not only has that experience, but he also has a strong vision for our future and the character that personifies Averett.”
Joyce has more than forty years as a professional in college and university administration. “I’ve known about Averett University for quite some time. The university has a reputation for making students feel ‘at home’ with a faculty that is known for their passion for teaching and learning,” Joyce said in a statement. “The university is also known for its close association with the Danville community. These attributes are what attracted me to accept the invitation when the Board of Trustees called.”
A welcoming event will be planned in January for Dr. Joyce and his wife, Lynne. “I’m honored to take on this role, and my wife and I look forward to moving on campus,” Joyce added. “These are challenging times for higher education. Nevertheless, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact in our community, our state, and the region. There is much work to be done. Working together, we can expand our reach.”
