Sylvia Burwell to step down as American University's president

American University announced that this will be Sylvia Burwell's final year as president of the institution.

In a video published on AU's Instagram page, Burwell, the first woman to serve as the university's president, said she and her husband reached the decision for her to leave AU.

The president, who is a former Health and Human Services secretary, explained that the "substantial progress" her administration made over the past six years is part of why she is resigning.

"Together, we became the first university to achieve carbon neutrality; grew our endowment by approximately 60 percent (from just over $600 million in 2017 to approximately $950 million now); launched the Sine Institute for Policy and Politics and the Khan Cyber and Economic Security Institute," Burwell wrote in an email. The president also mentioned the university's School of Public Affairs move into the top 10 and AU's No. 1 Model UN team in North America.

Burwell, attributed her departure to AU's "people and infrastructure," writing that the university has a "great team of leaders in place who are partnering with our great faculty, staff, alumni, and students to shepherd us into our next chapter of impact."

Burwell wishes to spend more time with her family, adding that she has always worked 24-7 jobs "fighting Ebola as HHS Secretary, flying around the world for the Gates Foundation, or leading this university." Now, she would like to spend more time living a "different lifestyle" while taking care of her relatives.

"As the first woman to serve as AU's president, Sylvia came to American University at a moment when the university was poised to build on a decade of growth and take its next step forward as a leading institution in Washington, DC," Gina Adams, member of the Board of Trustees, wrote in an email.

The reactions to the announcement are mixed. While some thank Burwell for her work as AU president, others criticize her administration.

"A class act and dedicated public servant of integrity, high intellect, and wide-ranging effectiveness. AU is incredibly fortunate," one person commented under Burwell's resignation video.

"Hope the next President makes adjunct, TA and support staff salaries a priority. Here's hoping that progress and change will be a part of the best year yet and future," another person commented.

During move-in week in 2022, 500 AU staff in the Academic Affairs Staff Union went on strike over wages they said were unfair. The union represents staff in the provost and enrollment divisions – clerical and technical staff.