Tyler Boydston
News Editor
President Cindy Ross recently announced her retirement from her position at Cameron University after over 10 years of service.
President Ross is set to retire this summer after beginning as President in August 2002.
Through her time at Cameron, the university managed to receive its best accreditation report to date in 2010.
According to President Ross, the accreditation report — as well as CU’s other achievements during her time — have been group efforts from Cameron faculty and students as a whole.
“I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything,” President Ross said. “I think that the faculty, staff and students and community have done a lot, so there are a number of things that I’m proud of at Cameron University. First and foremost of course is the quality of education that the students receive. We have extraordinary faculty, dedicated staff, outstanding academic programs and the quality of education has been verified by external evaluators at our most recent accreditation visit which was the best accreditation report ever received in the history of the university.”
Despite the achievements made during her time here since 2002, President Ross said there are still some accomplishments and activities she wishes to see through before her retirement in the summer.
“We want to complete the softball complex,” President Ross said. “I’m anxious to dedicate that and we plan to do that in April. So we’ll get to see a few softball games. I’m really looking forward to commencement. That’s always the best time of year to see the accomplishments of our students. I enjoy all of the end of the year activities when we celebrate our students’ accomplishments.”
Though she is stepping down as the President of Cameron University, she still intends to stay busy, continuing work with members of the military, children’s issues and women’s issues, as well as continuing with personal habits and activities, like spending time with her granddaughter.
“Well, my granddaughter is first and foremost,” President Ross said. “She is three years old, she lives in Kansas with her mom, and it’s hard to be a vital part of her life and still be President at Cameron University. I also have a number of issues that I’m very interested in: certainly children’s issues, particularly disadvantaged children. I’m also interested in women’s issues. I want to stay involved in the military. I have very much enjoyed the association with Fort Sill and I want to continue to be active in supporting military issues. I may also go back to riding horses, something I haven’t done since being President of Cameron University. I may take a few college classes in topics I’ve always been interested in. I’m looking forward to being very busy but continuing with many of the interests that I have now.”
President Ross’ journey to Cameron University began in Oklahoma Higher Education, where she worked for 24 years before taking on the job at CU.
“I had been in Oklahoma Higher Education for 24 years, the first 12 years at Oklahoma State University and then 12 years as the Chief Academic Officer for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,” President Ross said. “I really did not have a burning desire to be president of a university, but working at the state regents really gave me an opportunity to see the 25 colleges and universities under the state regents, and I thought that Cameron University had a firm foundation and potential for the future, and I would like to be President.”
President Ross said she also wishes to thank everyone at CU during her last few months as President of the university.
“I hope during the remaining months that I have the opportunity to interact on an individual basis with as many students and faculty and staff as possible,” President Ross said. “I want to take the opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for the extraordinary support that I have received here. Thank everyone for their ideas and their energy and their commitment to Cameron University and truly the transformation that has happened at this university over the last eleven years really belongs to the faculty and staff and the students as well as the community with the community providing us the financial resources.”