Professor of Law Ottow at Leiden in February 2021 as the first female president in the university's history. She previously served as vice president of the Utrecht University Executive Board.
The timing of the departure is notable, as the university is facing 30 million euro in budget cuts, and Ottow only just started her second four year term.
According to a bulletin on the university website, Ottow has 'decided to explore new avenues and increase her focus on protecting nature and raising environmental awareness'.
What those avenues will be exactly is unclear ‘After five wonderful years at the university, it’s time for something new', Ottow writes in the bulletin. ' It’s been a privilege to steer the university’s growth in this role.'
Strategic course
Ferd Grapperhaus, chair of the university's Board of Governors writes that 'over the past five years, she’s delivered real improvements in many areas. We’ll miss her energy and inspiring leadership.’
Ottow was responsible for the university's strategic course, but also focused on sustainability and well-being. Within the Executive Board, she was also spokesperson in the Hofman affair, the professor of archaeology who with her partner was accused of unwanted and transgressive behaviour.
The university council had earlier opposed a second term for Ottow, as Mare revealed last September. The council had received 'worrying signals from the workplace’ about Ottow. She had allegedly ‘created a difficult working environment, particularly for subordinates.' Despite that, the Board of Governors went through with the reappointment.
Nothing has yet been announced about a successor. A spokesperson for the university did not want to elaborate further on Ottow's decision.