UMD chancellor Kathryn Martin retiring

The Chancellor of the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus is retiring after the current academic year.

Kathryn Martin came to UMD in 1999, becoming the first female chancellor in the University of Minnesota system. Martin said she'll step down next July 31st.

"It's been a great ride. I love it very much. And I simply decided that after 15 years, you get to a point where you no longer fight the battle you need to fight off campus," Martin said. "You no longer have the energy to fight the battles you need to fight, whatever they are, to reach some sort of accommodation for the betterment of this campus."

Under Martin's leadership, UMD's enrollment has grown 50 percent, while the campus has undergone 12 major building projects including an engineering building, a school of business, and the 350-seat Weber Music Hall.

Martin admits she can be impatient and grouchy. She once garnered unfavorable publicity for her vociferous support at University hockey games.

She says she plans to stay on campus after retiring next July, working on writing and other projects.

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