by Alisha Rosas
Managing Editor
President Stephen Morgan has taken a leave of absence as of Tuesday, April 4, leaving Dr. Bill Cook, vice president of academic affairs, and Phil Hawkey, executive vice president, to attend to any matters concerning the University of La Verne.
Dr. Morgan, who was diagnosed with an early stage of prostate cancer in late January, went in for surgery on April 4 at the USC Norris Cancer Center.
He wrote, via e-mail, that he will be returning to ULV “shortly after Easter.”
“In the meantime the day-to-day business is in the hands of Dr. Bill Cook for academic matters and Phil Hawkey for financial and administrative matters.
“In my opinion, all of ULV’s affairs are in very good hands,” wrote Dr. Morgan.
Dr. Cook said that despite Dr. Morgan’s leave, things will run the same as usual for the University.
“Circumstances do not change,” he said. “What really happens is, his usual schedule dealing with trustees, fundraisers and off-campus events he is involved in normally are put on hold.”
Dr. Morgan wrote that although he is off campus, he is still making “daily telephone, e-mail and fax contact with the University and its administrators.
Dr. Cook said that he does not believe that Dr. Morgan’s absence will cause any interruption to how ULV runs daily. “He will be gone less than if he went on vacation. Provisions [also] allow administrators to take up to three-months leave,” he said.
Hawkey, who said he was notified of Dr. Morgan’s leave “about a couple months ago,” said that it is important to “understand that he [Dr. Morgan] is still involved. There are meetings held at his house and he is very much informed.
“Just because he is not sitting in his office does not mean that he is not actively involved,” said Hawkey.
Dr. Morgan wrote that on Wednesday, April 5, he was notified that his surgery was successful. “For all intents and purposes my cancer has been cured by the surgery,” he said.
