On Oct. 15, President David Skorton offered congratulations to Provost Kent Fuchs on his being named the next president of the University of Florida.

It is with great pride and gratitude that I congratulate Provost Kent Fuchs on his appointment as the next president of the University of Florida.

Kent’s impact on all aspects of Cornell during his tenure as provost cannot be overstated. The legacy he will leave behind will be felt by all Cornellians, and by colleagues at other top research universities, for decades to come.

I am quite familiar with, and admire the excellence of the University of Florida, and they are indeed fortunate to have chosen him as their next leader. Kent will bring to his new position a deep understanding of the issues, constituencies and avenues for collaborative action that are central to the life of a university.

Kent’s first years as Cornell provost coincided with the start of the economic recession, one of the most challenging times in our history. His leadership and insights helped us to make the necessary, and often difficult decisions to reduce our expenditures wisely. Thanks in large part to Kent’s clear vision for the future, the University found creative ways to hire and retain diverse, outstanding faculty and maintain its strong academic profile. The University’s strategic plan, Reimagining Cornell, and our new budget model are also important components of his legacy.

Perhaps Kent’s greatest legacy as provost will be the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island. More than any other individual, Kent’s foresight and determination resulted in our successful bid to establish Cornell Tech.

We will greatly miss his leadership, intellect and thoughtful, principled actions.

Personally, I am excited for Kent and look forward to our continuing partnership as we each continue to contribute to the advancement of education and research at a national level.

I intend to announce the appointment of an interim provost by October 31.

Please join me in congratulating Kent for his 12-plus years of service to Cornell, for a job well done, and a new position well deserved, and in wishing him and Linda a smooth and enjoyable transition to this exciting new opportunity.