The U’s 16th president steps down at the end of June, with plans to spend the next year promoting the U’s $4 billion Driven campaign, then joining the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science faculty. We celebrate who he is and what he’s done. 

U of M alum

• U of M graduate ’82 Ph.D., chemical engineering
• 10 patents to his name
• Owner of at least 105 maroon and gold ties

Student supporter

• 71 percent four-year graduation rate, up from 54 percent in 2011
• 1,595 new scholarship and fellowship funds created

Scientist’s scientist

• U sees $1.2 billion annual impact from research 

Cost container

• Moved $91 million from administration to key priorities
• Kept resident undergraduate tuition hikes to 1 percent or less

Medical matchmaker

• Promoted M Health-Fairview Health Services partnership—a significant new relationship with great benefits for all

Business booster

• 130+ new start-ups
• Nearly 300 new business and industry partnerships
• $407 million in revenue generated by U of M inventions

Road warrior

• Visited all 87 Minnesota counties
• Farthest destination traveled:      
• Hong Kong  7,502 miles

Job generator

• 15,000 U of M grads join the workforce each year
• The U produces 80 percent of the state’s new medical school graduate, and all of Minnesota’s new dental, pharmacy, and veterinary school graduates

Ag advocate

• Planned family vacations around Farmfest

Powerful partner

Together, Eric and Karen Kaler have

• Helped the U raise $3.3 billion for the Driven campaign so far
• Had their likenesses sculpted in butter 
• “Thrown rocks” with UMD med school curlers
• Hosted hundreds of faculty, staff, and children at Eastcliff for Halloween each year