 Jay Gogue, president of the University of Houston and chancellor of
the UH system, was named Thursday as the 18th president of Auburn
University. The AU Board of Trustees unanimously selected Gogue after a
two-year national search. Gogue, who received two AU degrees in
horticulture, spent the last two days on campus talking with faculty,
staff, students and alumni.
"The Auburn family found the same exceptional qualities in Dr. Gogue
that we discovered during an exhaustive and comprehensive search for
Auburn's next leader," said Charles McCrary, chairman of the
presidential search committee. "He is a visionary leader who is
committed to academic excellence. We welcome him back to campus as
Auburn's new president."
Gogue is expected to start in mid-July, replacing Ed Richardson, who
has held AU's top position since 2004. Richardson was first selected on
an interim basis and later named AU's 17th president in recognition of
his service and performance.
"We cannot thank Dr. Richardson enough for his straight-forward and
steady leadership," said Earlon McWhorter, president pro tem of the AU
Board. "He focused resources on academic progress, strengthened
recruitment of Alabama's brightest students, reinvigorated Auburn's
research mission, and set the stage for the new president to continue
moving Auburn forward."
Gogue, a native of Waycross, Ga., received a doctorate in
horticulture from Michigan State University in 1973. After working at
the U.S. Department of Interior, Gogue served in a variety of research
and agriculture positions at Clemson University.
Gogue became provost of Utah State University in 1995 and was
selected president of New Mexico State University in 2000. In 2003, he
was named to the top position at the University of Houston.
Source: Auburn Alumni Association
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