Clark Atlanta University President Ronald Johnson Steps Down

10/19/2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Debra Hoyt
404.880.8773 dhoyt@cau.edu

ATLANTA (Oct. 19, 2018) – The Board of Trustees of Clark Atlanta University (CAU) today accepted the resignation of President Ronald A. Johnson, effective December 7, 2018. A national search for the fifth president of CAU will begin immediately. Lucille H. Maugé has been appointed chief operating officer. Maugé will serve as acting president after Dr. Johnson’s departure until a new president is elected by the board.

“We are deeply grateful to President Johnson for his service to our university. He made many contributions to the university during his tenure, the most recent being the improvement in the academic quality of admitted students and development of a new strategic plan,” said Gregory Morrison, Chair of CAU’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Johnson departs with an appreciation of the board, faculty, staff, student body and alumni.”

“It has been a great honor to serve as president of CAU,” said President Johnson. “Through determined focus and perseverance, we were able to make significant progress on our journey together to strengthen the long-term health and sustainability of CAU; raise the visibility and overall awareness of our great institution, and clarify the vision for the future.
“I thank our exceptional faculty, staff, and alumni for their creativity, hard work and dedication to the success of our students and support of our great university. Most of all I would like to thank our students. You are the heart, mind, and soul of CAU and I am humbled to have the opportunity to work with so many determined, energetic and innovative young people of promise.”

Dr. Johnson was named CAU President in July 2015. Prior to joining Clark Atlanta University, President Johnson was the dean of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Texas Southern University. He also served as dean of the College of Business at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina. He previously taught and developed innovative curriculum at Florida A&M University, Northeastern University, and Howard University. He is an accomplished researcher and has developed expertise in the design of learning-focused business curriculums.

About Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is a comprehensive, private, urban, coeducational institution of higher education with a predominantly African-American heritage. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees as well as certificate programs to students of diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Clark Atlanta was established in 1988 by the consolidation of Atlanta University (1865), the nation's first graduate school for African Americans, and Clark College (1869), the nation's first four-year liberal arts institution to serve a predominantly African-American undergraduate student population.

Today, Clark Atlanta is one of the nation's foremost research institutions, offering students from around the United States and several foreign countries the opportunity to engage in 38 exciting areas of study at the bachelor's, masters and doctoral levels. Located in the historic heart of Atlanta, one of the world's great international cities, our nearly 4,000 students enjoy access academic and co-curricular experiences, from forensic debate to on-air broadcasting, to cancer research with world-renowned investigators. From the arts to zoology, CAU combines nearly 300 years of tradition with a solid focus on academic excellence to produce leaders who will shape the future of the global community.