Board extends President Pinto’s contract through June 2027
As his first term nears the 5-year mark, President Pinto to continue serving a second term
In a unanimous vote at its October 26 meeting, the Board of Trustees extended the term of service and contract of University of Cincinnati President Neville G. Pinto through June 30, 2027.
Pinto, who serves as the 30th president of the university, first stepped into the role as chief executive on February 20, 2017. He is the first UC president to rise from the ranks of UC’s faculty since Herman Schneider, founder of cooperative education, served from 1928-32.
President Neville G. Pinto
In accepting a second term, Pinto recalled, “When I started at the university on September 1, 1985, I was both anxious and eager to do a good job in teaching our students. I never imagined then that I would some day lead this institution; it’s truly been an honor and privilege. I am very grateful.”
He continued, “This is a tremendous institution. I never cease to be amazed by our collective impact, the impact of our graduates around the word and our campus community grounded and rooted here in Cincinnati. I must credit all the people of this institution past and present for making it what it is.”
UC Board Chair Ron Brown stated, “As a Board, we value and support President Pinto’s vision and leadership, especially the progress and momentum of the Next Lives Here strategic direction he has put in place. This extension is a testament to his love for the university and his commitment to developing opportunities that enhance the fullest potential of the campus community.”
To date, during Pinto’s first term, the university has accelerated academic, research and athletic momentum even during the vagaries of the global COVID-19 pandemic – thanks in part to a consistent, committed focus on students by the entire campus community, despite challenging obstacles. These include the need to rebuild courses to match changing modalities and to offer a wide range of student support remotely.
Faculty, students and staff never slowed or stalled in fulfilling its purpose as a university.
The results are evident:
- In contrast to national trends, records in enrollment have continued, including Fall 2021’s largest enrollment on the Uptown Campus ever at more than 40,000 as well as the most diverse student body in UC history. Such success in enrollment, retention and graduation is built on efforts that include establishment of the Faculty Enrichment Center; the Staff Success Center; and Staff Senate as well as equity and inclusion investments; community-centered partnerships like CPS Strong; augmented student scholarship support and experiential opportunities through Co-op 2.0, along with advising initiatives like the Bearcat Promise – to name a few.
- A growing research and innovation enterprise, now standing at $525 million in sponsored research funding, with efforts often focusing on our nation, state and world’s most-pressing problems.These efforts include important partnerships growing out of the recently founded UC 1819 Innovation Hub, such as the $100 million investment by JobsOhio to establish the Cincinnati Innovation District as a means to foster talent development and research growth at UC and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. In addition, Research 2030, the strategic plan to invest $100 million over 10 years’ time in UC research infrastructure. Currently, the National Science Foundation ranks UC at No. 33 among public research universities, with the size of incoming research awards increasing more than 20 percent over the past 3 years. Moreover, Reuters named UC among the world’s top 100 most-innovative universities in 2018, one of only 46 U.S. universities to make that prestigious list.
- The university has accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference by no later than July 1, 2024. With 25 years of history, 69 team national champions and 702 individual national champions to its name, the Big 12 ranks among the nation’s premiere athletic conferences. UC’s membership in this Power 5 conference will position the institution for even greater success both on and off the field.