In August, Ronald. A. Crutcher will conclude his term as the 10th president of the University of Richmond.

During his tenure (2015-2021), he raised the academic profile of the University; focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and affordability; and embraced free speech and civil discourse. He navigated Richmond through the COVID-19 pandemic enabling the University to safely offer in-person instruction throughout the 2020-21 academic year. The University’s landscape also changed with the completion of building projects.

Signature accomplishments include establishing the Faculty Hub to cultivate cross-disciplinary interactions among faculty. He also focused on helping more students compete for prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships. He created the Office of Scholars and Fellowships to help students explore and pursue the undergraduate and post-graduate opportunities available to them.

One of his first priorities was increasing the national reputation of the University and overall awareness of the quality of the academic experience at Richmond. The University achieved its highest ever U.S. News & World Report ranking at No. 22 among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges for 2021.

The Crutcher administration showed a commitment to look more closely at the University’s past, foster honest conversations, and move toward a future in which all members of the University community can thrive. He established and led mentoring groups to cultivate a sense of belonging among Richmond students.

During his time several new spaces were built. The Well-Being Center put Richmond on the leading edge of well-being in higher education. The Queally Athletics Center provides state-of-the art practice and academic facilities for student-athletes. And the Spider Solar array makes Richmond the first institution in the Southeast to match 100% of its electricity needs with a single solar power source.

A hallmark of his presidency is the belief that academic freedom and free expression are essential to the educational mission and promote a vibrant intellectual community in which new knowledge emerges and ideas flourish. That belief became action with the creation of the Free Expression Statement, a set of guiding principles meant to characterize the University’s commitment to free expression and open inquiry as an academic community.