When Robert Daugherty became chair of St. Bonaventure University’s Board of Trustees in June of 2015, he brought six values to the table: trust, transparency, accountability, collaboration, optimism and hope. These values represented him as a leader, as well as the nature of the way he expected the university community to carry out the goals he set forth. Daugherty made the decision to step down from his position as chair to allow new leadership to carry the Board of Trustees in the coming years.
Daugherty said that a great deal of thought went into his decision to step down. He considered various factors when making the decision. He said the primary considerations were where the university stood with the goals he had laid out at the beginning of his term and where he stood personally.
Daugherty’s term as chair has outlasted the normal term for a chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Most chairs serve three years, barring exceptional circumstances. Because of the various changes in leadership, specifically in regards to the president of the university, the Board of Trustees allowed Daugherty to extend his term in an attempt to stabilize the university in a time of change. While Daugherty could have extended his term one more year, he said that he felt it was the right time to step down.
“I believe that we aren’t in an exceptional circumstances situation anymore. We’re past that point,” said Daugherty.
With the transition of power complete, and the new president of the university, Dr. Dennis DePerro, settled in, “It was a great time to step away and really allow [DePerro] to do what he is here to do, which is to lead the university,” said Daugherty.
Daugherty said the values he put forth at the beginning of his term aided him as a leader and helped guide the Board of Trustees throughout his term as chair. He said he has presented those words, in conjunction with his goals for the university, countless times to various audiences throughout his term.
“You have to execute against the words that you put out there. You have to govern in ways that literally make those words come alive,” said Daugherty.
DePerro said that Daugherty’s goals and values align well with the university’s values.
“All those things Mr. Daugherty talked about relate to those Franciscan values very closely that we want to continue to espouse in this institution,” said DePerro.
Daugherty and the Board of Trustees led campaigns to increase enrollment at St. Bonaventure and have worked to foster the university’s goals outlined in the strategic plan. Daugherty said that there is no single accomplishment that should be attributed only to him.
“Teamwork, for me, has always been a big part of my life. I’ve never, ever done anything done anything alone, I’ve always done it with teams,” said Daugherty.
DePerro said, “We are at a point where we are beginning to see the strategies and the goals that we put in place for the Board of Trustees when he became chair. We’re beginning to see those things come to fruition.”
DePerro said Daugherty’s leadership style put St. Bonaventure on track to meeting the goals outlined in the plan. He credits Daugherty with reviving the university’s reputation to some extent.
In an email DePerro sent to Daugherty, he said, “Bona’s was like a plane going down the runway and never lifting off. You have not only put it in the air, but you have brought it to an altitude where it can now travel successfully in the right direction.”
Daugherty said that he hopes the person who succeeds him as the chair of the Board of Trustees will carry out his or her duties with a sense of passion and energy. He said that the Board of Trustees should continue to look to the strategic plan to guide them toward future success.
Daugherty said he feels the most important project the Board of Trustees needs to work on in the coming year is the new School of Health Professions.”
“We’ve got to see that to its conclusion. We’ve got to make sure that we get that done,” said Daugherty.
DePerro said he would like to see the Board of Trustees continue to work on enrollment issues and bringing capital resources to St. Bonaventure.
Daugherty said he hopes he’s done the university and its alumni base proud.
DePerro confirmed that Daugherty has done just that. He said, “Bob Daugherty set his sights on a vision that he had when he became board chair. He didn’t let anything get in the way of accomplishing his goals,” said DePerro. “That’s not only admirable, but it also has benefitted this university in very, very important ways in a very critical moment in our history.”
Daugherty’s term will officially end after the Board of Trustees’ next meetings, which conclude on June 1. At those meetings, a new chair will be selected and voted upon.
Daugherty’s parting wishes were hopeful. He said, “We, as a university, should be nimble and agile to continue to embrace change, know how to evaluate change, and make sure we can accept some reasonable level of risk as we think about what it means to be changing in a nimble and agile fashion. It’s critical for us.”
Daugherty’s two pillars of optimism and hope served him well as the chair of the Board of Trustees. He encouraged an uptick in enrollment, the formation of new academic programs and the unification of a university community.
“We are now at the apex of something magnificent,” said Daugherty.
By Meghan Hall, News Editor
hallml18@bonaventure.edu
