Carnegie Mellon University trustees yesterday reappointed Jared L. Cohon to a third five-year term as president, continuing the school's tradition of long tenure in the post.

"Jared Cohon has been, and will continue to be, an exceptional leader of Carnegie Mellon University," said Carnegie Mellon board Chairman David Shapira in a news release.

	Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette CMU President Jared Cohon Click photo for larger image.

"He has taken this university to new heights and has overseen tremendous growth in education, research and development. His astute leadership and his inimitable management style have advanced Carnegie Mellon as a leader not only in the Pittsburgh region, but also around the world."

Dr. Cohon, in a prepared statement, said he is "delighted," adding, "Innovation, problem-solving and collaboration have shaped this institution for 107 years and characterize our success today as one of the world's leading research universities.

"Now more than ever, these strengths match up with important, emerging needs in our complex world."

In 2005, the Carnegie Corporation of New York gave Dr. Cohon an award for Carnegie Mellon's "problem-solving, reflective practitioner's approach, particularly to undergraduate education."

Carnegie Mellon did not release Dr. Cohon's salary, but a Chronicle of Higher Education survey listed his 2004-05 pay at $449,019 plus $62,129 in benefits.

Dr. Cohon, 59, came to Carnegie Mellon in 1997 as its eighth president. He already is past the 8.5 years the average college president serves, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

The previous seven Carnegie Mellon presidents served an average of about 13 years each. By the end of his third term, Dr. Cohon will have served longer than all but two of them, Richard M. Cyert, who served 18 years, and Arthur A. Hamerschlag, 19 years.

University officials noted a number of achievements during Dr. Cohon's 10 years, including strengthening the undergraduate program and expanding internationally from one program in three foreign countries to 12 degree programs in 10 countries.

They noted that the university has received a number of favorable rankings and the 22,000 applications received this year was nearly double that of when Dr. Cohon took office. Sponsored research also has nearly doubled to $317 million.

They also said Carnegie Mellon has worked to improve the region's economy through its own activities and through collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh.

Before coming to Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Cohon was dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and professor of environmental systems analysis at Yale University. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.