"All good things must come to an end, and for me, Old Dominion University, Hampton Roads and the commonwealth of Virginia have been very good things," said President James V. Koch, announcing last month that he intends to step down from his position as president of Old Dominion.

Koch, who had planned to resign July 1, 2000, decided to defer his retirement date as president to July 1, 2001, after meeting with the Board of Visitors on June 17 and conferring the following weekend with his wife, Donna, and Rector Edward L. Hamm Jr. The board and Hamm had requested that he consider staying on until 2003.

Saying he was gratified by the public support that he had received and that he agreed there were still more things for him to accomplish at Old Dominion, Koch said, "An additional year will enable me to continue work on our already successful capital campaign and to move our University Village development east of Hampton Boulevard closer to completion." Further, he said he understood the desire of the board to have sufficient time to conduct a thorough national search for his successor, and he pledged his cooperation with the board in that regard.

Koch, who came to Old Dominion in 1990 after serving four years as the president of the University of Montana, plans to return to the campus as a member of the faculty after he steps down and takes a one-year sabbatical. He has taught at least one course during every year of his presidency, and will assume the position of Board of Visitors Professor of Economics when he returns to Old Dominion in July 2002. Koch also indicated he would continue to teach his highly regarded History of World War II course.

"This is entirely a private decision on the part of me and my wife, Donna," said Koch. "I am beginning my 14th year as a college president and that is a long time to devote to any endeavor as demanding as a college presidency. We are ready to do other things and to focus on other responsibilities while we still have the time, energy and intellectual ability to do so."

He also said that he would devote significantly more time to his scholarly research and publication. While at Old Dominion, he has published one book and seven journal articles in economics in addition to dozens of opinion pieces and short articles on topics relating to higher education and economic development. After their one-year leave, Donna Koch, who currently is the assistant to the president at Tidewater Community College, plans to return to TCC to teach part time, Koch said.

President Koch praised the almost 100 Board of Visitors members with whom he has shared responsibility for Old Dominion's maturation and expansion. "I am particularly indebted to the nine rectors of the board with whom I have served and to current rector Edward L. Hamm Jr., who has been absolutely superb." He also thanked the members of his executive officer team, most of whom have served with him during the entire decade of his presidency.