Dr. Thomas Krise will start his term as the 11th president of the University on Aug. 6, according to the UOG Board of Regents.
Krise, a retired Air Force officer who served as president of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, will succeed Dr. Robert Underwood, who is retiring but will remain employed with the university until Aug. 25 to complete key projects and assist with the transition.
Krise will serve as the chief executive officer of the university for five years with an annual base salary of $210,000, according to UOG.
He will be given a housing and automobile allowance and the ability to travel for UOG business.
His performance will be reviewed by the BOR on an annual basis. In addition, the University will cover the costs for his relocation along with his spouse, Patricia.
Dr. Underwood started his tenure in 2008 and is the longest-serving UOG President. "It is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Krise to Guam and to UOG. The foundation of our university is strong, the faculty and the staff are ready to continue to move the institution forward. I’m confident
Dr . Krise will utilize his extensive executive and academic expertise to move the University to a new chapter of success,” Underwood said. “I ask our students, faculty, and staff to show Dr. Krise the same support that they have given to me this past decade.”
"This is an exciting time for UOG. Dr. Underwood has positioned the university to make an even bigger impact locally, regionally, and internationally. Under Dr. Krise's leadership, UOG will take steps to realize its new potential. As we move forward, the Board of Regents will continue to govern a University that supports the preparation of our students to contribute meaningfully to society, and to support the research and development of our faculty and staff for the advancement of our community and our region," says Elizabeth C. Gayle, Chairperson, UOG Board of Regents.
Krise was one of 60 applicants for the position of UOG President. A Presidential Search Committee was formed to narrow down the pool of candidates to four finalists.
Krise, along with three other finalists, participated in a series of forums with UOG students, faculty, staff, administrators and the public. After extensive deliberations, Dr. Krise was selected by the BOR. “I’m honored to become a part of the University community, thankful to the Board of Regents for their confidence in me, and I look forward to listening and learning UOG’s rich story from the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who have made it what it is and set it on the path to greatness. UOG is a unique institution with the distinctive purpose of serving the people of Guam and the whole Micronesian region. Dr. Underwood’s leadership has been inspiring and I look forward to building on his tremendous legacy. My wife, Patty, and I are excited to become Tritons and contribute to the University’s mission: Ina, Diskubre, Setbe—to Enlighten, to Discover, and to Serve,” Krise said.
Krise is a graduate of All Saints Cathedral School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. He also graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds a PhD in English from the University of Chicago. Prior to serving as PLU president, Dr. Krise served as dean of arts and sciences at the University of the Pacific, as chair of the English department at the University of Central Florida, and as a Fulbright scholar at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.
He also served 22 years on active duty in the Air Force, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served on the faculty of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, as a Senior Military Fellow of the Institute for National Strategic Studies in Washington, and as Vice Director of the National Defense University Press in Washington.