Just today, the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama announced that UA President Dr. Robert E. Witt was chosen to replace retiring Chancellor Malcolm Portera, effective immediately. The Board also announced today that one of my most favorite administrators, Provost Dr. Judy L. Bonner will now serve as interim President of UA. This is exciting news for the entire UA family. Folks, being Chancellor is a HUGE deal. When you’re chancellor, that means you’re in charge of the entire UA system—that’s UA Tuscaloosa, UAB, UAH and the UA health system. This is the highest position that one can hold in the University system, so as you can imagine, this is quite an honor for Dr. Witt. Dr. Witt has served as UA President for the past 9 years. Over the years, Dr. Witt has worked successfully in increasing the enrollment at UA and has worked to create a higher academic standard here at UA, along with the rest of our administration. Words cannot even begin to express what this means to me as a student; this is excellent news for the UA family. I was also thrilled to hear that one of my most favorite administrators, Provost Dr. Bonner, is now the interim President. I hope she is accepted as President altogether as next year begins. I know she will do just as good and even better.
Believe it or not, I’ve gotten to meet Dr. Witt 3 times now, all in one semester too. I first met him at the President’s Office as I went into Rose Administration to collect my first paycheck on the ground floor. There I met Janice Palmer, a Human Resources staff member who had seen me before at the Ferg inside Fresh Foods. I told her that I wanted to meet Dr. Witt personally one day, and once the process of collecting my paycheck was complete on the ground floor, you can guess what happened next. Next thing I knew, I found myself in an elevator with Ms. Palmer on my way to the second floor where the President’s office is. We waited for a little while for him to return to the office, but he did; and that was the first time we met. We then met again just before the wheelchair basketball game the Friday night before this past week just before I sang the National Anthem before the game. He would present the girls’ team with their National Championship rings from last season after the girls’ game. . I informed him of my desire to meet the rest of the high administration and even some of the trustees, and he said he would try to arrange that. Then just this past Friday morning, he arranged for me to come into his office and meet three of the vice presidents. I got to meet and talk briefly with Dr. Joe Benson, vice president in charge of research and development, Vice President Dr. Linda Gilbert and Provost Dr. Judy Bonner. I gave Dr. Bonner a big handshake and hug and thanked her and the entire administration for all they do to make this University what it is today. Dr. Bonner is an absolute angel; I must say I LOVE THAT WOMAN! I can truly tell you I’m a huge Bonner boy. (ROLL TIDE!) She has done a great deal to make sure each and every faculty and staff member at UA is committed to us and our success, and for that I’m forever indebted. I still hope to meet the trustees sometime soon.
Anyway, in all seriousness, Dr. Bonner, congratulations to you on becoming our interim president, and I hope you’ll be fully accepted as our next president soon. You truly are the best. Your academic and general support means so much to the UA family, and we’re grateful to have you as our leader. May God bless all you do, and may God continue to bless the University of Alabama. ROLL TIDE!!!
-David Rissling
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