Vancouver Chancellor Hal Dengerink steps down

VANCOUER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver Chancellor H. A. “Hal” Dengerink has resigned from his position effective Aug. 15. Dengerink has served as leader of the branch campus since its inception in 1989.

“It has been a pleasure to have served my entire academic career at Washington State University. Not many people get a chance to build an institution from the ground up, which has literally been the case at Washington State University Vancouver,” said Dengerink.

In an email Tuesday to the campus community, Washington State University President Elson S. Floyd praised Dengerink’s leadership.
 
“It has been a great pleasure and a real education for me to work with Hal, in various roles, over the last 30 years. His leadership has been visionary and his judgment impeccable,” said Floyd.  “There is no doubt that Washington State University Vancouver, as it stands today, is a lasting tribute to his efforts. The high regard in which he is held in the Vancouver community is matched only by the great admiration felt for Hal by his colleagues across Washington State University.”
 
Floyd said he intended to bestow upon Dengerink the title of Chancellor Emeritus and intended to recommend the renaming of the WSU Vancouver Administration Building as the Harold A. Dengerink Administration Building. The action will require authorization of the Board of Regents.
 

Floyd said he will be assembling a search committee to seek Dengerink’s successor. In the meantime, the interim chancellor position will continue to be filled by Lynn Valenter. Valenter has held the interim position for the past 16 months while Dengerink has periodically taken medical leave.