Earlier last week the Dayton Daily News (DDN) obtained David Hopkins official, hand-written letter of resignation through a public records request. DDN discovered the note written to soon-to-leave provost Thomas Sudkamp which dated back to Nov. 17 of 2017.
An excerpt from the resignation reads, "I write to announce my formal retirement from Wright State University, effective January 31, 2018. I would like to thank you for being such a wonderful colleague and friend over my fourteen years at the university. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance during this transition. Best wishes for continued success."
Hopkins left his position of president last March, nearly four months earlier than he initially announced and took on a faculty position with a salary of about $200,000. Cheryl Schrader officially became WSU's president about four months later at the beginning of July.
While most relish on the negative budget issues that stemmed during Hopkins presidency, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Doug Fecher chooses to focus on the good.
“I think Dave did a lot of good for the university. He was the university’s greatest ambassador, and we need to recognize that. I don’t think there’s any ill feelings. I think the university is moving on as it should,” Fecher, told DDN.
"After rising to the presidency from the provost position, Hopkins oversaw the construction of the university’s Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration Building, the Student Success Center, the Wright State Physicians building and the expansion of the Creative Arts Center. Hopkins oversaw the university’s “Rise. Shine” campaign, which raised more than $160 million," DDN reported of Hopkins accomplishments in his time at WSU.
