Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke announced on Wednesday that he is leaving the University of Colorado Boulder to accept a new job at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora.

O’Rourke will leave CU Boulder at the end of the semester to become the hospital’s senior vice president and chief legal officer.

“This is a bittersweet decision, as I care deeply for our work in support of the campus mission,” O’Rourke said in a release.

“We have done remarkable work to support students, advance equity and inclusion, create new knowledge and support our community, and I will miss the opportunity to continue to support and work with the amazing leaders and staff within Strategic Resources and Support.”

O’Rourke said he chose to accept the new position because he’s been connected to the hospital since 1995 and believes he can help it serve its patients in a challenging healthcare environment.

“Pat O’Rourke provided courageous leadership on the Boulder campus through the global COVID-19 pandemic, and his leadership of the Strategic Resources and Support team has helped enable the strong foundation CU Boulder has today,” Chancellor Justin Schwartz said in a release. “I want to personally thank Pat for his strong work enabling my transition as chancellor and his countless contributions to CU Boulder and the broader University of Colorado system during the past 18 years.”

O’Rourke will support campus leadership to ensure a smooth transition and discussions about finding his successor will begin this week. Decisions on next steps are expected to be announced in early December.