Stoute returns to campus

By: Sydney Umstead, News Editor 

On April 8, it was announced that President Stoute had returned to campus.

Stoute originally left the campus on March 23, returning roughly two weeks later. In an email sent out by Board of Trustees member Brian M. Murphy, which announced Stoute’s return, Murphy wrote, “We are grateful that circumstances now permit his return to campus, and we thank the community for respecting the privacy of President Stoute and his family during this challenging time.”

While Stoute was caring for family in Trinidad, Dr. Harold Fields, the vice president for student affairs, was temporarily acting in his place. In the email, Murphy wrote that Fields “provided exemplary leadership as officer-in-charge, working seamlessly with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure university operations and initiatives continued to move forward without interruption” during Stoute’s absence. 

Stoute released an email shortly after titled “In Gratitude for Family.” In his email, he expressed gratitude for the Canisius community and senior leadership team. “In reflecting on the content of this message, I felt moved to focus on family and the associated concept of home, both of which can mean many things but hold deep personal meaning to me,” he wrote. 

Stoute continued to say, “Families are often connected to each other through a place - a home - and our Canisius family is no different.” He added, “Rest assured that I missed my home on Erie’s shores and look forward to coming home to my Canisius family on Wednesday.”