Former University of Maine President Paul Ferguson has resigned as president of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, after a year and a half in the position, school officials announced Monday.
Ferguson requested a two-month sabbatical from his position to be followed by his resignation, both of which were accepted by the university’s board of trustees during a meeting on Monday, according to a news release. Trustees chairman Rick Hall announced the approval of Ferguson’s requests after the meeting.
“While the board and Dr. Ferguson are disappointed that this relationship has ended, we wish Dr. Ferguson and his wife, Grace, well in their future endeavors,” Hall said in the release.
Ferguson began his duties as president at Ball State in August 2014, after resigning his position at UMaine in May 2014. His salary at Ball State was reported as $450,000. His annual salary at UMaine was about $250,000.
The news release did not indicate why Ferguson sought to leave the school.
“It has been an honor and a privilege for Grace and me to work with and to serve the faculty, staff and especially our students at Ball State University,” Ferguson said in the news release. “We have, together, worked diligently to refresh our vision and legacy of beneficence and entrepreneurship, refocused on being student-centered and community-engaged, and improved many of our policies and procedures to be best practices.”
Ferguson took over as president at UMaine in July 2011. He came to Orono from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. He previously worked as a toxicologist with three decades experience in academic and industry settings. He was a professor of pharmacy and toxicology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Hall said Ball State trustees appointed provost and executive vice president of academic affairs Dr. Terry King as acting president.