[3] Simon was officially installed as Lehigh's 14th president during the university's annual Founder's Day ceremony in early October, 2015.
[4] In his installment speech, Simon said he was advancing an ambitious agenda with the support of the Board of Trustees, who committed to an investment of $250 million in institutional resources in the areas of teaching, learning, research and student life.
[6] Simon was immediately preceded at Lehigh by Kevin L. Clayton, a member of the Board of Trustees, and retired director and former principal of Oaktree Management, a global investment organization.
Morning Call in October 2016, Simon said that the "Path to Prominence" plan he is proposing will allow Lehigh to stand among the best in higher education for years to come.
"This is an ambitious plan that builds on our historic strengths and honors the core values that have made Lehigh such a special place," the article quoted Simon as saying.
In the Morning Call article, President Simon and Lehigh Provost Patrick V. Farrell said the plan will take a decade to fully implement, although one of the first goals is to establish the health college.
[13] In a 2017 HuffPost op-ed, Simon outlined the importance of providing broader access to higher education and Lehigh's efforts to address the issue of inequity, which include making available more than $84 million in grants and scholarships; a commitment to meet 100 percent of every student's demonstrated financial need; the creation of an Office of Diversity, Equity and Community; participation in the American Talent Initiative and the Posse Foundation; and the creation of the position of Director for Student Access and Success.
[5] Describing Simon as a talented scientist and administrator who has earned widespread respect and admiration, Teresa A. Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, said: "John has an abiding commitment to academic excellence.
Working in close collaboration with the faculty, staff, students and academic leadership, his support of our mission of teaching, research, patient care and service has positioned the university for even greater success.
"[5] In an article published in the Washington Post, John Simon was credited with courageous leadership during a crisis set in motion by the sudden announcement that the University of Virginia President Theresa Sullivan was stepping down.
They would, in the end, solidify his reputation with the faculty and add momentum to the movement that eventually swept Sullivan back into the presidency.
John D. Simon, Executive Vice President & Provost Archived 2013-04-25 at the Wayback Machine University of Virginia, retrieved August 13, 2012.