BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — John Hurley announced that he has plans to retire as president from Canisius College in 2022.
Hurley has served as Canisius' president since July 2010.
"The upcoming year will be my 12th as president and 25th overall at Canisius," said Hurley. "It has truly been a labor of love for an institution that means everything to me. But, having just turned 65 and having led the college safely and successfully through the COVID-19 pandemic, it's time to step down and move on to the next phase in my life. Everything that we have done over the past 12 years has been aimed at positioning Canisius to thrive in a disrupted higher education landscape. The stage is set for the next president to take Canisius to a whole new level of excellence."
In 2020, Canisius was named the 'Best Value College' in New York State by U.S. News & World Report.
In December 2018, two students directed “lengthy letters” to Canisius President John J. Hurley reporting “a detailed and extensive array of concerns and complaints about sexual harassment, discrimination, sexual assault and retaliation” and about the college’s failure to respond, but stated, “there was no response and no action taken based on those letters.”
Hurley sent out an email to faculty and staff in 2020 detailing his plan to find $12.3 million in budget cuts and program restructuring to address a $20 million deficit, resulting in backlash from the Canisius community which included calls for his resignation.
Hurley will retire on June 30, 2022.
