Dana Mead, PhD '67, chairman of the MIT Corporation since 2003, announced at the group's quarterly meeting in December that he will step down from the post at the end of June.

The bylaws of the Corporation require that a member cannot serve past the age of 75; Mead will turn 75 during the next academic year. He is the ninth chairman of the Corporation and has been a member since 1996.

"I will miss working in this very vibrant and dynamic environment--the students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and the like," said Mead.

President Susan Hockfield expressed gratitude for Mead's contributions to MIT. "His astute powers of analysis, deep knowledge of governance, and keen instincts in working with people have immeasurably benefited the Institute," she said.

During his tenure, Mead focused on transforming the Corporation's membership to more accurately reflect the composition of the student body and faculty. As a result, the number of women serving as Corporation members grew by around 50 percent during his tenure. Representation by foreign members also increased by almost half during the same period. But to many, Mead's greatest accomplishment as chairman was overseeing the search in 2004 that brought President Hockfield to the Institute.

The Corporation's executive committee is in the process of identifying a nominee to serve as Mead's successor.