Message from the Board Chair to the Webster Community

The following letter was sent on Sept. 19 by Rob Reeg, chair of the Webster University Board of Trustees. The University news release about this announcement can be found here.

Dear Members of the Webster University Community:

I have exciting news to share with you about the restructuring of Webster’s executive leadership. Effective September 19, 2019, Webster University’s President Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble will hold the title of Chancellor and Provost Julian Z. Schuster will hold the title of President. These changes in title for Webster’s executive team reflect the growing and challenging demands of leading Webster University as a global system.

Most American independent universities are based at a single campus; Webster’s presence spans the globe. Webster’s system is comprised of the historic campus in Webster Groves, Missouri, multiple sites in and around St. Louis, Missouri, and 60 locations across the United States and on military bases where full degrees are offered. We offer both synchronous and asynchronous degrees and certificates to thousands of students.

In addition, Webster has residential campuses in Europe, Asia and Africa, having added campus sites in Greece, Ghana and Uzbekistan within the past five years. In terms of total enrollment, Webster University is among the ten largest master’s level private universities in the United States.

American universities in the 21st century must negotiate an expanding and demanding environment: changing student demographics; a global economy in flux; innovations in technology and so much more. These realities demand new and sophisticated ways to engage internal and external stakeholders. They require alignment of executive leadership titles with the complementary roles of the Chancellor, who will lead strategy development and engage external audiences to build Webster’s funding capacity and reputation, and the President, who will lead internal operations for optimal implementation of strategy and effective performance. As reflected in these new titles, this reorganization will support the alignment of the units that report to the Chancellor and the President for greater strategic and operational strength throughout the Webster global system.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am especially delighted that Chancellor Stroble and President Schuster will be the executive team members who will hold these restructured titles and roles as we advance Webster’s values, vision, and mission.

Sincerely,

Robert Reeg
Chair
Board of Trustees
Webster University