Eugene Sanders wants job as next BGSU president

12/13/2010

BOWLING GREEN — Eugene Sanders, the former Toledo Public Schools superintendent who left four years ago to run the Cleveland school system, wants to become the next president of Bowling Green State University, according to university sources.

He is one of about 25 candidates for the job the university plans to fill by May, the start of the next academic year. Mr. Sanders, who announced his retirement over the weekend from Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, has a long history with BGSU, having earned three degrees from the school and serving as a tenured professor for eight years.

"My understanding is that he is very interested," said William Primrose, a BGSU trustee and head of the search committee.

He said he didn't think Mr. Sanders retired from his Cleveland job just for this opportunity.

"It wouldn't make sense because there's no such thing as a shoo-in," said Mr, Primrose, a small business owner from Cleveland who graduated from BGSU.

Mr. Sanders announced his retirement just six months after announcing a massive reform plan for the Cleveland district that has gained some national attention for its scope and content. Mr. Sanders also received accolades as TPS superintendent.

He earned both his bachelor's degree in 1980 and his master's degree in 1985 from BGSU. He completed his Ph.D from BGSU in 1992 and then became a tenured professor there from 1993 to 2000. This year he was named one of the university's 100 prominent alumni.

BGSU President Carol Cartwright had previously planned to retire in June at the end of a three-year stint.