2008 Woodie Awards
Eric Davis preps for retirement
Secretary of the College to step down after Commencement
Myra Palmero
Issue date: 1/13/05 Section: News
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In March 2004, Secretary of the College Eric Davis announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Secretary after May 2005 Commencement to join the faculty as a full-time Professor of Political Science before his final retirement in January 2008.
Though Eric Davis was appointed as Secretary of the College in 1997, he had been part of the faculty since 1980 as a Political Science professor. In 1991 he was appointed as dean of academic programs, and chief information officer in 1997. In his 25 years at Middlebury, Davis has been involved with academic and curricular matters, having served on the Educational Affairs Committee or its predecessor committees for 18 of the 25 years.
Before current President Ronald D. Liebowitz was appointed president in April, Davis decided to step down as Secretary, believing that whoever was to become the new president should have the opportunity to fill a senior administrative position with someone who would be able to spend years developing the changes that the new administration would be making. Though Davis has enjoyed working as an administrator, tackling the College's interesting issues, being a part of the College's changes in the last, watching Fred Rogers sing the "Mr. Rogers" theme song and being able to give Meryl Streep stage directions at Commencement, he did not want to spend the rest of his remaining years before retirement in Old Chapel. Davis said, "I have always considered myself a political scientist who has happened to be in the administration, rather than a professional administrator, and I knew it was time for me to be spending more time teaching about, reading about, thinking about, and writing about politics."
Davis recounted that in his 25 years at Middlebury, three administrative accomplishments of which he is most proud are chairing the committee that developed the first-year seminar program from 1985 to 1988, participating in decisions about the 30-position growth of the faculty, and chairing the committee that developed the program for the new library.
Though Eric Davis was appointed as Secretary of the College in 1997, he had been part of the faculty since 1980 as a Political Science professor. In 1991 he was appointed as dean of academic programs, and chief information officer in 1997. In his 25 years at Middlebury, Davis has been involved with academic and curricular matters, having served on the Educational Affairs Committee or its predecessor committees for 18 of the 25 years.
Before current President Ronald D. Liebowitz was appointed president in April, Davis decided to step down as Secretary, believing that whoever was to become the new president should have the opportunity to fill a senior administrative position with someone who would be able to spend years developing the changes that the new administration would be making. Though Davis has enjoyed working as an administrator, tackling the College's interesting issues, being a part of the College's changes in the last, watching Fred Rogers sing the "Mr. Rogers" theme song and being able to give Meryl Streep stage directions at Commencement, he did not want to spend the rest of his remaining years before retirement in Old Chapel. Davis said, "I have always considered myself a political scientist who has happened to be in the administration, rather than a professional administrator, and I knew it was time for me to be spending more time teaching about, reading about, thinking about, and writing about politics."
Davis recounted that in his 25 years at Middlebury, three administrative accomplishments of which he is most proud are chairing the committee that developed the first-year seminar program from 1985 to 1988, participating in decisions about the 30-position growth of the faculty, and chairing the committee that developed the program for the new library.