Steven Leath
19th President of Auburn University
In office
June 19, 2017 – June 21, 2019
Preceded byJay Gogue
Succeeded byJay Gogue (interim)
15th President of Iowa State University
In office
January 16, 2012 – March 20, 2017
Preceded byGregory L. Geoffroy
Succeeded byBenjamin J. Allen (acting)
Wendy Wintersteen
Vice President of Research at the
University of North Carolina system
In office
2007–2012
Personal details
Born (1957-07-08) July 8, 1957
Providence, Rhode Island
SpouseJanet Leath (m. 1981)
ChildrenEric and Scott
Alma materPenn State University
University of Delaware
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign[1][2]
OccupationUniversity President

Steven Leath (born 1957) is an American academic administrator. He was president of Iowa State University from 2012 to 2017, when he became president of Auburn University. He resigned from his position at Auburn in 2019.

Early life and education

Leath was born in Providence, Rhode Island, moving to St. Paul, Minnesota at the age of two. Leath later moved again to central Pennsylvania, where he took up a number of sports, including hunting and fishing.

He obtained his bachelor's degree from Penn State University in 1979, studying plant science. Two years later he received his M.S. in plant pathology from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. in plant pathology and phytopathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1984.

Career

Prior to his position at Iowa State, Leath was vice president for research for the 16-campus University of North Carolina system.

In 2013, he established 'ISU 4 Promise.' This program commits Iowa State to pay the college tuition of disadvantaged students from local elementary schools.[3][4][5][6]

A notable event that occurred during Leath's tenure at Iowa State was his decision to permanently end Veishea after 2014. This was due to continued problems with violence that occurred during the festival, especially a series of violent disturbances that led to his suspending Veishea halfway through the festival in 2014.[7]

After five years at Iowa State, Leath was named the president of Auburn University in 2017. While he was praised for record enrollment and investment in campus infrastructure, he was also criticized for personal use of a university aircraft.[8]

During Leath's tenure, Auburn was designated an 'R1' institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The designation is reserved for doctoral universities with the highest levels of research activity.[9]

In 2018, Leath was appointed to the National Science Board.[10][11]

In June 2019, he resigned from Auburn, which paid him a $4.5 million severance.[12][13]

In 2021, he was named the executive director of the council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports.[14][15]

Personal life

Leath and his wife have two sons, Eric and Scott.

An Instrument-rated pilot, Leath damaged a Cirrus SR-22 in 2016 owned by Iowa State while landing in gusty conditions in Bloomington, IL.[16] The ensuing controversy about the use of school property for personal travel, and the fact that the school paid for the damage, led to Leath publicly declaring that he would no longer fly state-owned aircraft.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "About President Leath". Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University. 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Leading Iowa State". Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware. 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  3. ↑ Elmer, MacKenzie (January 13, 2015). "Elementary students promised place at ISU". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  4. ↑ "ISU 4U Promise Program Keeps Its Promise to Students". Des Moines Public Schools. August 6, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ Larson, Tara (March 25, 2018). "ISU 4U brings high schoolers from Des Moines to Ames". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  6. ↑ Pautsch, Mary (January 23, 2017). "ISU 4U Promise makes college a reality for Des Moines students". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Veishea ends at Iowa State; new traditions will begin with 'thoughtful approach'". Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University. 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Steve Leath leaving ISU for Auburn presidency". Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  9. ↑ van der Bijl, Hanno (December 18, 2018). "Auburn University's investment in research garners Carnegie designation". Birmingham Business Journal. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ van der Bijl, Hanno (December 18, 2018). "Auburn University's investment in research garners Carnegie designation". Birmingham Business Journal. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Steven Leath". National Science Board. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  12. ↑ Webster, Jake (June 22, 2019). "Steven Leath leaves Auburn University presidency". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  13. ↑ Miller, Vanessa (July 15, 2019). "Auburn paying former ISU President Steve Leath $4.5M to leave". Ames Tribune. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  14. ↑ Steele, Gretchen (March 30, 2021). "Hunting License Sales UP In 2020". The Outdoors Reporter. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  15. ↑ Pedder, Samantha (October 29, 2020). "Dr. Steven Leath Selected as Next Executive Director of The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports". The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ Foley, Ryan (September 23, 2016). "Iowa State President Damaged School Plane". ABC News. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  17. ↑ News Service, ISU. "Statement from President Steven Leath about his use of Iowa State University-owned aircraft". Iowa State University. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
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