The Roanoke Times | File September

Norleen Pomerantz will retire from her position of vice president for student affairs at Radford University.

The Radford University official who terminated two administrators and later apologized for it announced Friday that she will retire.

Norleen Pomerantz, the school's vice president for student affairs, will step down in December and go on leave through June, according to a news release issued late Friday afternoon by the university.

"I've enjoyed my 10 years at Radford and am proud of what we've accomplished in my division for students," Pomerantz said in a phone interview.

Her announcement capped a conflict that began when, amid budget cuts in mid-September, she abruptly dismissed the popular two leaders of the New Student Programs and Services Office. Faculty and students immediately protested, and days later the university offered the jobs back to the administrators.

"Norleen has been a wonderful member of our leadership team and all of us appreciate everything that she has done for Radford over the past 10 years," university President Penelope Kyle said in the news release. "We are grateful for her many contributions, and we wish her happiness in her retirement."

Radford officials have said Pomerantz cut the two positions in September after the university lost $6.4 million in funding during statewide higher education cuts. All state-supported university budgets were slashed by 15 percent as a plan to offset the commonwealth's $1.35 billion revenue shortfall.

Tempers of students and administrators flared the day Michael Dunn, director of new student programs, and Marc Jacobsen, associate director, were terminated. On a Monday morning, the school asked them for their keys, locked their computer accounts and gave them hours to clear their offices.

More than 50 people packed Walker Hall to protest the decision, and at the end of the day Kyle said she heard of the layoffs only after faculty senate President Steve Owen called her at 5 p.m.

In a meeting later in the week, Kyle told faculty that further layoffs would be done with more compassion and respect and that they would be on hold until meetings with state budget officials concluded.

The same week, Pomerantz sent an e-mail to faculty, staff and students saying, "to handle such a sensitive process in the way that I directed lacked the grace and dignity and compassion that such a difficult and disturbing event requires."

"What I did has introduced anxiety and anger at a time when we more than ever before need a sense of calm and reasoned cooperation," she wrote. "And for all of this I apologize to all of you from the bottom of my heart."

By Sept. 30, Dunn and Jacobsen had accepted their positions back with the university, but under the department of academic affairs.

Pomerantz, 64, joined Radford in 1999, and since then she has overseen an increase in the number of applicants to the university, the news release said. She developed an evaluation system for student affairs programs that was well regarded by industry peers, and she helped bring to the school in 2006 and 2007 an institute for higher education professionals.

She supervised the university's athletic program until 2005 and served as liaison to local agencies and the Radford City Council.

But the recent controversy was perhaps her most widely publicized decision as an administrator.

"I can't say it wasn't a factor," she said. She also said she had been considering retirement for about a year.

"Sometimes you just need a nudge," she said.

Kim Gainer, an English professor and member of the faculty senate, said, "I hope one incident doesn't overshadow all of her accomplishments.

"But I think some of my colleagues are looking forward to a fresh start," Gainer said. "And they might view the retirement of Dr. Pomerantz not only as a fresh start for her, but as a fresh start for them."

Pomerantz said it's not clear to her what she will do once retired. Among her options: visiting two grandchildren in Florida, consulting or writing a novel.

The news release said the university would immediately begin a national search for a new vice president of student affairs.

Staff writer Tonia Moxley contributed to this report.