President/Chancellors

Dr. Justin Schwartz has been apointed as the new Chancellor of University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Schwartz will join CU Boulder on July 1. Dr. Schwartz currently is executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University, a post he has held since 2022. 

The Utah System of Higher Education has selected Gregory F. Peterson, Ed.D., as the ninth president of Salt Lake Community College. Dr. Peterson will assume the position on July 1, 2024. Dr. Peterson currently serves as the president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona. Throughout his career, he has led key efforts in student learning and success impacting over 100,000 students, including developing transfer partnerships and college promise programs at multiple institutions and launching the first community college Artificial Intelligence program in the nation. Dr. Peterson has worked closely with industry partners and community leaders in strengthening workforce pipelines for students into family-sustaining careers and has served on local, state and national organizations to advance these efforts. He brings experience in student affairs and instructional programs and has worked at urban, suburban and rural community colleges. Dr. Peterson was selected as an Aspen New President Fellow and was recently recognized as the East Valley Man of the Year by Positive Paths. Dr. Peterson holds a doctorate in educational administration with an emphasis in community college leadership from the University of Texas at Austin; a master’s degree in postsecondary, adult and continuing education from Portland State University; and a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University. As a first-generation community college student, Dr. Peterson has a passion and commitment to the community college mission of access and success for all students. Read more. 

Mount Saint Mary College has successfully appointed Dr. Robert Gervasi as their next President. Dr. Gervasi will begin his new role June 17, 2024. Dr. Gervasi has more than three decades of experience in higher education administration, including 14 years as a college president. He also has extensive teaching experience, having taught courses in Greek and Roman civilization, religion, historiography, business, philosophy, ethics, and more. Prior to his career in higher education, he worked in marketing and communications serving major firms including Bristol-Myers and Procter & Gamble. He earned an Honors AB in Classics from Xavier University, an MA and PhD in Classics from The Ohio State University, and an MBA in Marketing from the Wharton School. A former Fullbright Scholar, he now serves as Board Chair of the Fulbright Association. Read more.

The University of Dubuque has successfully appointed Dr. Travis Frampton as their next President. Dr. Frampton will succeed President Bullock, who is currently the longest serving president in UD's history. He will begin his new role June 1, 2024. Dr. Frampton has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, since July 2019. He also is Schreiner's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges liaison as well as Schreiner's Title IX coordinator. As provost and vice president for academic affairs at Schreiner University, Dr. Frampton created a new academic learning ecosystem for the campus, implemented new academic programs, designed relevant and innovative academic majors, developed mission-critical co-curricular programs, consistently maintained a balanced budget and created ways to improve efficiency, established graduate school pipelines for undergraduates, added resources to increase support for faculty development, and more. Dr. Frampton earned a bachelor of arts in religion from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, a master of arts in religion from Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, and a dual doctor of philosophy degree in philosophy and religion from Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (philosophy) in the Netherlands and Baylor University (religion) in Waco, Texas. Read more.

Seton Hall University has successfully appointed Monsignor Joseph Reilly, S.T.L, Ph.D as the University's 22nd president. Over half of Monsignor Reilly's life has been spent on the South Orange campus of Seton Hall. First as a Prep and college student, later coming back in 2002 as a University administrator, then as Rector/Dean of Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, and now as Vice Provost for Academics and Catholic Identity. He believes his long tenure at Seton Hall has given him a unique appreciation for the University and the potential that lies within. Monsignor Reilly has earned many awards and appointments over the years. He was named a Missionary of Mercy by His Holiness, Pope Francis. The Missionaries of Mercy are priests from around the world who are to be living signs of the Father's welcome to all those in search of His forgiveness. Reilly was also selected as an honoree among the 2015 Irish Education 100. Sponsored by the Irish Voice, the honor was conferred by the Irish Consul General in Manhattan, NYC, on December 9, 2015. Reilly holds a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from Georgian University and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from Pontificio Instituto Teresianum in Rome. He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration from Fordham University in New York. Read more.

The University of Minnesota Duluth has successfully appointed Dr. Charles Nies as their next Chancellor effective July 1, 2024. Dr. Nies comes to UMD with over 25 years of experience in higher education. He currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of California, Merced. Dr. Nies joined UC Merced in 2006 as its first Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students, a role in which he oversaw the development and growth of student life programs on campus. Prior to his work at UC Merced, he served as the Assistant Dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University in Ohio. Dr. Nies holds a PhD in Education Administration and Leadership and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Washington State University. Read more. 

The Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education has announced the appointment of Dr. Jack R. Warner as the 11th President of Rhode Island College. Dr. Warner has been serving as Interim President of RIC since April 2022. Dr. Warner, a Rhode Island native, was the commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education from 2002 to 2009, and then served as the Executive Director and CEO of the South Dakota Board of Regents before returning to Rhode Island. He was also an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University’s Educational Leadership Doctoral Program from 2015 to 2022. Dr. Warner holds an Ed.D. in Education Administration from Boston College, a Master of Education in Guidance and Psychological Services / Student Affairs Administration from Springfield College, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Vermont. Read more.

Central State University has successfully appointed Dr. Morakinyo A.O. Kuti as their new president. Dr. Kuti has been a member of the Central State Community since 1997, and has ascended the ranks from Grant Manager to most recently serving as the Vice President of Research and Economic Development and Director of the Land Grant Programs. As noted in the press release, "Under Kuti's leadership, Central State has achieved significant growth in external awards and has climbed the ranks in the National Science Foundation survey. This recognition is a testament to Kuti's ability to foster a culture of research and innovation within the university. By securing funding and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, Kuti has created an environment where faculty and students can thrive." Read more. 

Purdue University Northwest has successfully appointed Dr. Chris Holford as Chancellor. Dr. Holford currently serves as Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Purdue University Northwest. Holford is also a Professor of Biology at Purdue University North Central. Prior to serving as Provost, Holford served as the Founding Dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences at PNW as well. Dr. Holford holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Augustana College and a Master of Science in Zoology from Southern Illinois University. Holford also earned his PhD. In Biology from Illinois State University. Read more. 

SUNY Erie Community College has successfully appointed Dr. Adiam Tsegai as President effective December 5, 2023. Prior to her appointment, she has served as the college’s Officer-in-Charge since 2022.  An alumna of SUNY Erie, she joined SUNY Erie as the Dean of Engineering and Technologies in 2018 and was appointed in mid-2021 as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, after serving as the college’s Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs of Health Sciences, Engineering and Technologies. Read more.