On Thursday, October 23rd, Ursinus students, staff, and faculty received an email announcing the removal of Dr. Robyn Hannigan from her position as the President of Ursinus College.
The email, signed by the chair of The Ursinus College Board of Trustees, Dr. Joseph DeSimone `86, began, “I am writing to share an important update regarding the leadership of Ursinus College. President Robyn Hannigan is no longer with Ursinus, and Provost Gundolf Graml has been appointed Interim President, effective immediately. I would like to thank Dr. Hannigan for her service to the college.”
The announcement, sent out just before 11 am, came as a surprise to the Ursinus community; Hannigan had given no public indications of a departure, even when speaking with The Grizzly Editor-In-Chief Renee Washart `26 a mere three days prior to the announcement.
Hannigan declined to give a statement to The Grizzly, but spoke with Susan Snyder of the Philadelphia Inquirer, confirming, “I met with the board this morning… I was let go. It’s the board’s decision.” The Grizzly contacted ten of the members of the Ursinus Board of Trustees; all declined to comment on Hannigan’s removal.
Across the Ursinus campus, staff, faculty, and students expressed shock. Tovah Tolub `27 remarked that she was in her Theatre History class, “and we all got the email and it was incredibly shocking. It completely derailed the class.”
Some students expressed concerns after her ousting. When asked, Alena Rowan ‘27 said, “The way things have been the past two years are going to change, and I might not like the upcoming changes.”
Other community members, including longtime biology professor Robert Dawley, expressed belief in Graml’s ability to lead Ursinus. “I feel a great confidence that Gundolf knows the right direction for this school,” Dawley said. “Working with him for two years has ensured to me he is sincere about his mission [for the school’s future].”
Graml came to Ursinus in February 2024 from Agnes Scott College, where he served as a professor of German Studies and Senior Vice President for Academic and Campus Life. Among his most notable actions was his involvement with Agnes Scott’s SUMMIT Program, which is intended “to “provide students with the competencies and skills for thriving in a global environment.” DeSimone’s email describes the similar role that Graml has played at Ursinus, “[leading] the transformation to integrate applied learning, professional readiness, and hands-on experiences into our curricular and co-curricular offerings, known as APEX…”
The day after the announcement, staff, faculty, and students gathered for a town hall held at Bomberger Hall in response to the news. Dr. Graml and several board members were in attendance. In the opening minutes of the town hall, Dr. Graml, introduced by trustee Dr. Margaret A. Williams `80, made references to the suddenness of Hannigan’s removal and the concerns it may have spurred. Nevertheless he reiterated his dedication to Ursinus’ mission and core values. Following the speech, it was made clear that there would be no comment from Graml or any trustees about ‘personnel’ and they did not answer questions relating to circumstances of Hannigan’s departure.
A large focus of the town hall was Ursinus’s financial woes, and the potential consequences of such, reflecting recent anxieties amongst students, staff, and faculty alike. In the past few months, Hannigan pointed out to The Grizzly that the school’s enrollment was down about ten percent, while the first-year retention rate had slipped by about six percent from its average, adding to the “structural deficit” the school currently faces. According to the now-former president, “the school isn’t living within its means, and revenue isn’t enough to cover its expenses.”
Some expressed concerns at the town hall regarding potential faculty cuts in response to these financial issues, as well as the potential phasing out of certain majors. In response, Graml explained,“We will be working through a lot of paths over the next couple weeks, but we still have, as regarded, challenges. There will be multiple ways [to solve them], but we need to find a sustainable path.”
One faculty member inquired about the changes that can be expected under Graml’s administration, citing the notion that a change in presidency often reflects a change in philosophy or plans for an institution. Williams, who accompanied Graml onstage, denied any such intent: “We are not signaling any change in direction. We want everything — you know, the direction we’re moving in right now, we believe is the right direction… and, in fact, [Dr. Graml’s] been around, actively participating in the things we are doing now, and his continuity, his leadership… is one of the reasons that we wanted to have him in place…”
Williams’s statement comes after Hannigan’s interview with Snyder, in which she said of her firing: “It’s not for cause. The board wanted to go in a different direction.” The motivation behind Hannigan’s removal remains unclear at this time.
Near the end of his speech, Graml expressed optimism about the direction of the school. “I am confident about this institution’s future,” Graml told those in attendance, “because I’ve seen how deeply invested our faculty and our staff are in the development of our students, and the operation of the institution.”