UA System Chancellor Finis St. John IV is stepping down from leading the state’s flagship university system to take a new role at the newly founded Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership.
“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the University of Alabama System as chancellor following my tenure as a trustee,” St. John said in a news release Thursday. “The UA System is stronger than ever with outstanding leaders at the helm of our institutions and is poised for continued success and fulfillment of our mission to improve lives through teaching, research and service.”
St. John has served as UA System Chancellor since 2018 and was a member of the UA System Board of Trustees since 2002. Starting in April, St. John will serve as the inaugural executive director of the Shelby Institute on the University of Alabama’s campus.
A search committee is currently working to identify a permanent chancellor for the UA System. In the meantime, Sid Trant, the system’s general counsel, will serve as interim chancellor.
The trustees approved the creation of the institute, named for former U.S. Sen Richard Shelby, in 2023. It is set to open in fall 2024.
The institute will house Shelby’s congressional papers and support a two-year leadership program, where cohorts of about 20 undergraduate students will take specialized coursework in policy and have access to policy and leadership-focused internships and networking opportunities.
The institute is supported by a $20 million endowment, according to the UA System.
“Education and public service have been driving passions in my life, and I look forward to uniting the two in this role and launching an asset that will positively impact the University, the UA System and the state for years to come,” St. John said.
Officials lauded St. John for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the system’s ability to freeze tuition and grow its student population despite declining enrollment nationwide.
In a news release, Shelby said St. John has led the UA System to “soaring heights.”
“Annette and I are honored that Fess has agreed to serve as the inaugural executive director of the Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership and believe The University of Alabama has selected the ideal individual for the role, especially considering the invaluable institutional knowledge he has gained as chancellor and as a former member of the UA System Board of Trustees,” he said. “We remain grateful to the University for creating this Institute, which will educate generations of future leaders with a shared passion for policy and public service.”
St. John is a practicing attorney at St. John and St. John LLC in his hometown of Cullman. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and the University of Virginia School of Law.