Ball State University President Blaine A. Brownell has accepted the position of chief executive officer of U21pedagogica Limited (Pedagogica) and will begin his new job Feb. 1.

Established in 2001, Pedagogica provides quality assurance services to Universitas 21 Global, a new online university offering business and technology degrees. Global is a joint venture of Thomson Corp., a provider of educational products, and U21, an international network of 17 universities in 10 countries, including the University of Virginia.

"I am delighted at the prospect of working with 17 of the world's greatest research universities to provide higher education to students who would not otherwise have such an opportunity," Brownell said. "This challenge appeals to my experience and interests and to my commitment to international education and global collaboration."

Thomas L. DeWeese, president of the Board of Trustees, said the move is a natural for Brownell, who made enhancing the international dimensions of Ball State's activities a priority.

"We're grateful for Blaine's service to Ball State," DeWeese said. "His encouraging and positive style of leadership will be missed by many. But he is pursuing his passion for strengthening the global perspective in higher education, and we wish him well. I know he will make significant contributions in his new position."

DeWeese said Ball State is in excellent shape and expects the university to attract a strong successor to Brownell.

"The institution has moved forward in so many ways, and its reputation within Indiana and across the country is stronger today than at any point in the past," DeWeese said. "I am confident we will attract a highly qualified leader to carry on the work of advancing Ball State."

Ball State's Board of Trustees will immediately initiate a nationwide search for Brownell's successor. DeWeese said he will move quickly to appoint a search committee comprising a cross section of university constituents.

Reflecting on his time at Ball State, Brownell said, "It has been my distinct honor to serve as Ball State's president. This is a great university, and it is well-positioned to become even better as the faculty, staff and students carry forward the university's ambitious vision."

During Brownell's tenure, Ball State has improved its status in terms of quality of students and the amount of funding it garners from both public and private sources. Enrollment stands at 18,310, the highest since 1991. One factor contributing to the university's growing enrollment is a record freshman retention rate of 80 percent.

Ball State received the largest single grant in university history in 2001 when Lilly Endowment Inc. invested $20 million in the iCommunication initiative, establishing the university as a leader in the innovative use of digital media. Private gifts reached a new high this year; the university received more than $23.7 million from 25,305 donors.

Brownell expressed his gratitude to the entire Ball State community for its support during his three-and-a-half years at the university.

"My wife, Mardi, and I have felt at home at Ball State since the very first day," Brownell said. "We will follow with great interest the development of this institution."

Pending board approval, Brownell's affiliation with the university will continue through a leave of absence extending until the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year. During this period, he may return to the faculty in the history and urban planning departments where he is tenured. The executive committee of the board will meet this week to take action on the leave of absence.

Brownell became Ball State's 12th president on July 1, 2000. Before joining Ball State, he had been director of the University of Memphis' Center for International Programs since August 1998. Prior to that he was provost and vice president for academic affairs and a professor of history at the University of North Texas.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Heather Shupp, executive director of university communications, at hshupp@bsu.edu or (765) 748-4823.)