Jon Cosovich, vice president for development since 1983, will become deputy to the president on Dec. 1, President James J. Duderstadt announced last week.
“Some time ago, Jon told me that after having served as vice president for development for 11 years, he was ready to take on a new challenge,” Duderstadt said. “He and I had been talking for some time about our need to relate more closely with the University’s external leadership and other key constituents, and so together we crafted this new, very important role. It will fill a need I have felt for some time, and bring Jon’s considerable talents to bear on a key area for the University.
“I would describe Jon’s new role as one very similar to an ambassador for the University,” Duderstadt added. “He will work closely with me in managing personal relationships that are very important for all of us in sustaining such external advisory structures as the President’s Advisory Group. He also will assist me in searches for key senior executives of the University, and will represent the University on a variety of boards, committees and other bodies associated with the University, higher education, government and the private sector.”
Duderstadt said he plans to act quickly to choose Cosovich’s successor as vice president for development. “With both Jon’s moving to a new role and Joe Roberson’s appointment as athletic director, we have a challenge to select a key new leader for the University, capable of leading the development office and seeing the Campaign for Michigan to a successful conclusion,” Duderstadt said.
The new vice president would assume
