YELLOW SPRINGS — In a message to the campus last week, Antioch College President Tom Manley announced his plans to retire at the end of the academic year in 2021. Dr. Manley was named president in November 2015 after a national search by the Board of Trustees and began his tenure on March 1, 2016.

Manley has brought a wealth of experience to Antioch College, according to an official statement. His tenure has been focused on a broad range of challenges related to institutional vision building, budget alignment, diversity and inclusion, enrollment and campus climate, fund and friend-raising, administrative restructuring, and governance.

“It’s remarkable just how quickly the last four and half years have gone,” he said. “It’s an honor to be at Antioch College each day, amidst such rich history and at a time when its bold, big-picture thinking, embodied in programs like Antioch College Works, is vitally needed in higher education.”

Manley consulted with Antioch’s board leadership well before making a final decision to ease the transition during this difficult time.

When Manley began at the college, he faced a list of urgent matters, including finalizing fast track accreditation, addressing a $7 million budget shortfall his first day on the job, and the need to begin a process of curricular innovation that would distinguish the college. Under his guidance, Antioch has articulated a vision for a new kind of college, where students own their education, learn experientially, and act for justice.

He has championed the notion of college and university campuses as anchors of resilience for their communities, and actively sought to further Antioch’s historic commitment to shared governance, social justice, and educational equity.

In his final year, Manley will focus his efforts on securing the resources, visibility, and key partnerships needed to ensure the success of Antioch College Works (ACW). Announced in December, ACW addresses the affordability, accessibility, and value of the applied liberal arts with a program providing guaranteed full-tuition scholarships to Pell-eligible students. The program also provides real-world work experience for all students through campus and community jobs, as well as international and post-graduate job placements. The ACW program has drawn a strong response from prospective students and donors with enrollment projected to more than double for the fall. Giving for related scholarships totals $2 million.

“I am very excited by the opportunity to focus on that groundbreaking program in the coming year. There’s lots to do,” Manley said.

The Antioch College Board of Trustees will announce a presidential transition plan in the fall.