Chancellor and trustees praise President Bell as he prepares to step down; Rising Tide 2 campaign tops $1.8 billion
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Summary
Chancellor Sid Tran and trustees lauded President Stuart R. Bell’s decade of leadership, and the board heard that the Rising Tide 2 capital campaign has surpassed a $1.8 billion goal ahead of schedule.
University of Alabama System leaders used the June 6 board meeting to praise President Stuart R. Bell’s decade-long tenure and to announce a major fundraising milestone for the system.
Chancellor Sid Tran opened the board meeting with a public tribute to Bell, noting Bell will complete his presidency later this summer and — as Tran put it — is expected to return to the faculty. "When Dr. Bell assumed the presidency in 2015, he brought with him a deep understanding of higher education," Tran said, summarizing accomplishments in enrollment, research and student programs.
The nut graf: Tran highlighted growth under Bell, citing enrollment rising from "just over 36,000 in 2014 to a record of 40,846 in 2024," a rise in National Merit Scholars, and a reported tripling of sponsored research funding to $270 million in 2024. Tran and other speakers also noted institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and Bell’s role in fundraising and athletics governance.
Separately, President Bell reported a milestone for the Rising Tide 2 capital campaign: as of the morning of the meeting, the campaign had surpassed a newly stated goal of $1,800,000,000. Bell told trustees the campaign has supported more than 500,000 square feet of new or renovated facilities, about 1,160 new scholarships and nearly 70 faculty support endowments. "This accomplishment was achieved more than 15 months ahead of schedule," Bell said, and he noted fundraising will continue through the campaign’s original timeline ending Sept. 30, 2026.
Board members and attendees responded with public thanks. The meeting record shows praise for Bell’s focus on students and his leadership during the pandemic; the board said it plans public recognition of Bell’s decade of service and that Bell will return to campus faculty duties after his presidency.
Ending: Trustees concluded the remarks with formal thanks and signals of continued engagement; no governance action to name a replacement was taken at this meeting.