University of Richmond To Honor President Ronald A. Crutcher
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND ─ In August, Ronald. A. Crutcher will conclude his term as the 10th president of the University of Richmond.
The Spider community will celebrate his leadership and mark the many accomplishments during the six years of his tenure from 4 to 5 p.m. on June 10 with “A Sonata of Gratitude: Celebrating the Presidency of Dr. Ronald A. Crutcher.”
The event, which will be livestreamed from Camp Concert Hall, will recognize the President and Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher’s meaningful contributions to UR as the campus community honors them during the celebration.
During Crutcher's tenure, he raised the academic profile of the University; focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and affordability; and embraced free speech and civil discourse. He is a respected voice in higher education, serving as chair of the Board of Directors of the American Council on Education.
Signature accomplishments include establishing the Faculty Hub to cultivate cross-disciplinary interactions among faculty. He also made it a priority to help more students compete for prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships. He created the Office of Scholars and Fellowships to help students explore and pursue the undergraduate and post-graduate opportunities available to them.
One of his first priorities was increasing the national reputation of the University and overall awareness of the quality of the academic experience at Richmond. The University achieved its highest ever U.S. News & World Report ranking at #22 among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges for 2021.
A hallmark of the Crutcher administration was a commitment to looking more closely at the University’s past, to fostering honest conversations, and to moving toward a future in which all members of the University community can thrive. He established and led mentoring groups to cultivate a sense of belonging among Richmond students.
During his time several new spaces were built. The Well-Being Center has put Richmond on the leading edge of well-being in higher education. The Queally Athletics Center provides state-of-the-art practice and academic space for student-athletes. And the Spider Solar facility makes Richmond the first institution in the southeast to match 100% of its electricity needs with a single solar power source.
A hallmark of his presidency is the belief that academic freedom and free expression are essential to delivering the educational mission and fostering a vibrant intellectual community in which new knowledge emerges and ideas flourish. That belief became action with the creation of the Free Expression Statement, a set of guiding principles meant to characterize the University’s commitment to free expression and open inquiry as an academic community.
Additional information about Crutcher’s legacy can be found here.
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