Interim UO President Patrick Phillips has announced plans for interim leadership for University Advancement in anticipation of the departure of Mike Andreasen as senior vice president.

President Phillips has engaged Robert “Bob” Shepard, a senior vice president at Grenzebach, Glier and Associates, to serve as an ongoing consultant and adviser for development and alumni programs during the interim period. Shepard has held several leadership positions in higher education development during his career, including 14 years as vice president for development and alumni relations at Duke University, where he led a campaign that raised $3.85 billion for the university.

In the consultative role, Phillips said Shepard will work closely with the University Development and UO Alumni Association senior leaders to ensure the university maintains its successful trajectory.

“Advancement’s senior leadership team will continue to run their respective portfolios and administrative operations and remaining focused on our established objectives,” Phillips said. “We are doing amazing work together and my goal is to maintain that focus and momentum.”

In addition, Tim Inman, university secretary and adviser to the president, will take on interim management of the Office of Government and Community Relations, including federal, state and community affairs.

“I have great confidence in our advancement staff and their strong and consistent record of remarkable successes over the past years,” Phillips said. “I have every expectation that this excellence will continue during the months ahead under this new interim leadership.”

The search for a permanent advancement vice president will begin in winter and a selection is expected to be made by the new permanent university president.