SIU Chancellor Walter Wendler e-mailed this statement to The Southern today about his reassignment:

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Roger Tedrick, and the President of Southern Illinois University, Glenn Poshard share the responsibility to select people to provide vision, leadership and management for Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

They believe at this time that there is a more effective leader for the campus and will set out to find him or her. I wish them the best in that quest, and appreciate the opportunity I have had to serve Southern in my capacity as Chancellor.

We have implemented long lists of initiatives during the past five years, many firsts in the proud history of Southern, including the comprehensive campaign, the strategic faculty hiring initiative, a range of scholarships and assistantships for undergraduate and graduate students and a significant number of campus improvements. I feel deep and appropriate pride as I reflect on the thousands of people, who have contributed to the forward progress of our university using our plan, Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment.

Time will provide perspective on the value of this plan, and the ideas and actions that have, and will, result from it. I am looking forward to stepping up into the highest purpose of the university where raw opportunity flourishes… the classroom.

In order to assist in a positive transition I presently have no additional comment.