UC President Santa Ono Leaving For Same Position at Univ. of British Columbia

Ono, a Vancouver, BC native, returns home, and leaves the University of Cincinnati as arguably the school’s best president ever (and if you argue that, you’re wrong).

Beloved University of Cincinnati President Santa J. Ono appears to be leaving UC to return home to his native Canada.  Specifically the University of British Columbia in Vancouver (also his native city).  Multiple sources have reported that Ono traveled to Vancouver over the weekend, and both UBC and UC have press conferences scheduled this afternoon.

Just a few minutes ago, Ono wish a farewell to the UC community on Twitter.

Ono was a catalyst of so may things that multiple predecessors lacked the foresight to make happen, and the University of Cincinnati community will be forever grateful.  This feels a little like when Brian Kelly left – it to see a great leader go, and maybe even makes you a little angry, but UC was indubitably better off having Ono at the helm from 2012-2016.  In a short matter of years, Ono drove UC’s enrollment to record highs, saw UC reach new heights in national academic rankings, pushed the renovation of Nippert Stadium to completion, and got the ball rolling on a renovation of Fifth-Third Arena.  His did more for the university in four years than his two most recent predecessors, Nancy Zimpher and Gregory “Nippert-Expansion-Is-Not-Viable” Williams, did in a decade.

Santa Ono made UC the #HottestCollegeinAmerica, breaking record after record, whether it be student enrollment, football attendance, or letters sent to Big 12 officials.  It breaks my heart to lose him, but he did so much for the university in such a short time that you can’t be anything but grateful.  In fact, he even stepped in to save the day and accept the interim presidency (Ono formerly was University Provost) when Gregory Williams abruptly decided to cash a paycheck and leave town of the last train to Clarksville, leaving UC in a precarious position.

I am sad to see Ono go, as I think he is, and would continue to be, the perfect president to lead UC, especially as the university strives for an invitation to the Big 12 Conference.  Ono is a great leader with unbelievable foresight and wisdom, and the University of British Columbia must be tickled pink that Ono has agreed to lead that institution.  Whomever UC selects to replace Ono has big shoes to fill, and hopefully will continue his agenda of increasing the university’s national profile in academics and getting the school into a Power Five conference.

Prez Ono, best wishes in BC from your admirers here at Cincy On The Prowl!  We share the sentiment of Tom Gelehrter that you’ve definitely left UC in far better shape than it was when you found it.