A university president is like a CEO of a company, with the Board of Trustees above him or her. He or she plans and initiates programs in all areas of the university, along with the Board of Trustees and executive officers. He or she also coordinates operations in different university divisions. Lefton will retire at the end of the 2014 academic year. A search for his successor, chaired by Richard Marsh, a member of the Board of Trustees, is underway. He has served as president since July 2006.