Webster University Chancellor, Beth Stroble, has announced her resignation at the end of 2023 after years of declining enrollment and financial difficulties. Stroble started at the university in 2009 as president and became chancellor in 2019. She plans to take a sabbatical and then return to Webster to work in alumni relations and fundraising. Despite the challenges faced by the university, Stroble expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work with the faculty, staff, and students, and she intends to continue supporting the university in the future.
Webster University has experienced a significant decline in enrollment, with a 50% drop over the past decade, resulting in a loss of $128 million. The university has also faced negative developments related to its finances and executive pay, leading to protests by students and a vote of no confidence in Stroble and President Julian Schuster from the faculty. There have also been allegations that the university has not paid rent for its downtown St. Louis campus. Despite these challenges, Stroble and Schuster were continually awarded raises, making them among the highest-paid university leaders in the region.
The board of trustees has started a global search for Stroble’s successor while working with her on an exit plan. The board chair expressed gratitude for Stroble’s leadership and service to the university. As Stroble prepares to step down, Webster University will need to address its declining enrollment and financial troubles to regain stability and ensure a strong future.
