The national search for a new president is in advance of the retirement of current FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw in 2017.
“I love serving Clarion University and am a proud Golden Eagle,” Whitney said in a statement released on Monday.
“That said, I was intrigued by the specific opportunity presented at Florida Gulf Coast University and thought it worth further exploration. After much deliberation, I’ve decided to withdraw my interest and remain focused on the important work that lies ahead at Clarion.”
Whitney was appointed Clarion University President in 2010 by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education in 2010.