Reed College President John Kroger Stepping Down After Six-Year Tenure

The departure follows a contentious year of protests, including an anti-racism sit-in in Kroger’s office.

By Elise Herron

Reed College announced Friday that its president, John Kroger, would be stepping down after a six-year tenure, The Oregonian first reported.

The chairman of Reed's board of trustees, Roger Perlmutter, told The Oregonian that Kroger is leaving on amiable terms. After discussions with the college, Kroger turned down a job extension, opting to move on to other things.

Kroger—a former Oregon attorney general, federal prosecutor and U.S. Marine—has been mired in protests from increasingly strident left-wing student activists. In November, 2016 students staged sit-in of Kroger's office, demanding that administrators do more to combat racism.

That same month, The Atlantic reported, the student group, Reedies Against Racism, organized boycotts of a humanities class it said perpetuated white supremacy.

But Perlmutter says that the protests have little to do with Kroger's departure.

"It's been from every perspective an enormously successful time for the college," he told The Oregonian, citing the strengthening of student financial aid packages and increase in student applications since 2012, when Kroger stepped into the role.

While the college searches for a new president, Perlmutter says it will likely hire an interim replacement internally.

Kroger wrote in an open letter to the college on Friday: "Reed in many ways is stronger than ever, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served with you."

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.