On February 24, 2022, President Chris Markwood sent an email to students, faculty, and staff announcing his decision to retire from the CSU presidency and public higher education service on June 30, 2022. 

  President Markwood began as the fifth CSU president seven years ago, in 2015. Markwood has been pursuing a career in the public higher education field for over three decades, spending nearly a quarter of his career at CSU.

   “No place else I have served has emulated terms like ‘partnerships’ and ‘communiversity’ as CSU does. The partnerships I am proudest of are those that directly include the CSU Family, “ Markwood stated in the campus-wide email. 

   “Through those partnerships, we have borne and strengthened our academic programs, outreach initiatives, and strategic alliances that have benefited our students, our institution, our community and our state,” he continued.

    Dr. John M. Fuchko III, USG’s vice chancellor for organizational effectiveness, is set to serve as interim president upon Markwood’s departure beginning July 1, 2022.

   According to The Evolllution, Fuchko has held his current position since 2016, and he was previously the Chief Audit Officer. He has a Doctor of Education in Higher Education, Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence, Master of Business Administration in Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.

   “Always remember that what you do matters. You change lives. You change families. You change communities,” Markwood said in his closing statement to students, faculty, and staff. 

   “Thank you for the partnership of a lifetime and for your support of me leaving Columbus State University a little better than I found it.”