Northland College President Michael A. Miller, 62, announced he will retire when his contract expires next year. His retirement will be effective June 30, 2018
“Serving as Northland’s 13th president for the past seven years has been an honor and goes down as my final and greatest professional accomplishment,” he said.
During his seven years, Miller shepherded in four new centers—the Indigenous Cultures Center, the Center for Rural Communities, the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation, and the recently opened Hulings Rice Food Center.
Miller deepened community and regional partnerships to enhance the strength of the region and the student educational experience. He expanded the athletic program, adding women’s hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s golf, and constructing a new stadium.
“Together as a campus community, we have raised the quality, stature, and reputation of the College, and deepened its commitment to the environmental mission,” Miller said in his announcement.
Miller has emphasized alumni relationships and diversified, expanded and broadened the geographic reach of the College’s board of trustees, adding 28 new members during his tenure.
“Now is a good time to search for a new and energetic leader for Northland College’s next chapter,” Miller said.
Chad Dayton, vice chair of the board of trustees, will lead a search committee of trustees, staff, faculty and student representatives. The trustees have selected the firm Isaacson, Miller to conduct the search for a new president.
Miller says his priorities for this year will be ensuring a smooth transition for a new president, as well as friend-raising and fundraising, co-leading communication and planning processes for the future and deepening trustee-college relationships.
Miller will not be seeking another position. He says that he and his wife Mary Trettin look forward to taking more time for each other and to spending it with family and friends.