USC prez Sample plans to step down

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- University of Southern California President Steven Sample says he will step down from the post next summer.

Sample, 68, told Sunday's Los Angeles Times that he will end his 19-year presidency in August, a date picked to allow the university trustees time to pick a new leader for the 34,000-student Los Angeles institution.

"It's a time for fresh leadership," Sample told the Times. "I don't mean to sound self-congratulatory, but we've had a good run. And so, why not quit while you're ahead?"

The newspaper said Sample, a former electrical engineer who had previously headed the State University of New York at Buffalo, was diagnosed eight years ago with Parkinson's disease, but he said his health is stable and that the illness was not a major factor in his decision.

"I think I'm still pretty high-energy compared to most university presidents," he told the Times. "But I think a new president might bring a lot more energy, and that would be great."

The newspaper said Sample is credited with dramatically enhancing the university's academic prestige and financial resources.