President Bill Perry announced via email Thursday his intent to not extend his contract past the June 2015 date.

Perry said he disclosed this information to the Board of Trustees “very recently.”

The email, sent out to all faculty members, stated that he chose this time to give the university ample time to search for a new president.

Perry said one of the primary factors in his decision to not renew his contract came from wanting to spend more time with his family.

“Being president is a 24/7 job,” he said. “My wife and I wanted more time to do things, more time to travel or teach math.”

He noted that he did not mention retirement in his email, and is keeping his options open in the meantime.

Part of his contract as president would allow him to teach mathematics, which he said he could do part-time, as he had before during his tenure as president on occasion.

Despite his leaving, Perry said he was making sure options were kept open to keep the university on track to be “successful and affordable.”

Perry began his tenure as president in July 2007, after being at Texas A&M University since 1971, where he was in professorial and administrative roles.

Perry replaced Lou Hencken, who is currently the interim admissions director, after a search committee narrowed down the candidates to three, including Perry.

“I will, of course, continue to do my very best in serving the university as president until my tenure ends,” Perry said in the email. “Just as I have done from the beginning of my service in 2007, I look forward continuing to work with you as we forge opportunities and meet our challenges, always with an eye to providing the very best higher education experience for our students.”

The next step for the board of trustees will be the appointment of a search committee and the start of a national search for Perry’s successor. That committee will be discussed at the next board meeting in April and the search will likely start over the summer.

Bob Galuski can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].