University President R. Bowen Loftin announced Friday that he will step down from president of the University effective January 13, 2014.
After serving as vice president and interim president of A&M, Loftin was hired in February 2010 to become the University’s 34th president.
Loftin announced his resignation via his personal Twitter account with an accompanying press release.
Upon his resignation in January, Loftin will return to the faculty as a tenured professor in the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering.
“I’m glad he’s going out on his own terms,” said Paul Hinojo, junior civil engineering major. “The engineering school is gaining a fantastic professor. I’m optimistic for the future of this University and I am confident that whoever is chosen next for the position of president will be right for the job.”
Loftin developed a personable reputation among students, being known to pause at random for photos and conversation.
“I think Loftin did a lot for the school and everything he did was for the students,” said Abbott Oates, senior agricultural communications and journalism major. “I’m going to miss seeing him and his bow-tie around campus.”
Loftin’s Twitter and Facebook accounts were most telling of his reputation among students and former students. He could often be found interacting and commenting through the social media sites.
“He’s leaving behind some pretty big shoes to fill,” Hinojo said. “He’s done some great things with the University in the past few years and I along with most of the student body will be sad to see him go. It’s rare to find someone at such a high position of leadership and authority be so approachable and so familiar with the student body.”
Loftin also has plans of establishing an institute that will focus on advanced, state-of-the-art modeling and simulation in human behavioral modeling in terrorist organizations and the spread of diseases among human and animal populations.
In a statement Loftin said he always found joy in the students of A&M and misses the opportunity to teach students of his own.
“Since returning to Texas A&M in 2005 as a vice president, my greatest joy has always been found in our students,” Loftin said. “My love for them and for this extraordinary institution has never been stronger. That being said, I do miss the opportunity to teach and do research – activities that have characterized my long career in higher education. I look forward to teaching and mentoring ‘my’ students and to leading multidisciplinary research teams in creating new knowledge and transforming that knowledge into useful applications.