CHIEF EXECUTIVES Appointments Jesse M. Bernal, vice president for strategy and university initiatives, chief of staff to the president, and chief executive of public charter schools at Grand Valley State University, in Michigan, has been named president of Western Connecticut State University.
Christian M. M. Brady, dean of the Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky, has been named president of Wittenberg University, in Ohio.
Nathan Carter, chief institutional effectiveness and inclusion officer at Northern Virginia Community College, has been named president of Skyline College, part of the San Mateo County Community College District, in California.
Philip Cavalier, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has been named president of Kutztown University, in Pennsylvania.
James Dlugos has been named president of Landmark College, in Vermont, after serving as interim president since 2024.
Domenico Grasso, chancellor of the University of Michigan at Dearborn, has been named interim president of the University of Michigan following Santa J. Ono’s departure.
Jim Hess has been named president of Oklahoma State University, after serving as interim president since February.
Deb Kerkaert, vice president for finance and administration at Southwest Minnesota State University, has been named acting president following Kumara Jayasuriya’s retirement.
John R. Loyack, former president of Alvernia University, in Pennsylvania, has been named president of Rider University, in New Jersey.
Johnny MacLean, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Montana Western, has been named chancellor of Montana Technological University.
James B. Milliken, chancellor of the University of Texas System, has been named president of the University of California System. John M. Zerwas, executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System, will replace Milliken as interim chancellor.
Prabhas V. Moghe, executive vice president for academic affairs at Rutgers University, has been named the sole finalist for the president of the University of Texas at Dallas.
Jeremy Moreland, president of William Woods University, has been named president of Saybrook University.
Jeanette M. Nuñez has been named president of Florida International University, after serving as interim president since February.
Santa J. Ono, president of the University of Michigan, has been named sole finalist for the president of the University of Florida.
Heather Pence has been named president of Chattahoochee Technical College after serving as interim president.
Rhonda G. Phillips, president of Chatham University, has been named president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
William N. Ruud, former president of Marietta College, in Ohio, has been named president of Carroll College, in Montana.
Lori Erica Varlotta, a professor of higher-education leadership and former president of California Lutheran University, has been named president of Antioch University, in Ohio.
Van Wilson, interim president of Brightpoint Community College, has been named interim president of Germanna Community College, in Virginia.
Resignations Dennis Assanis, president of the University of Delaware since 2016, plans to step down at the end of June.
Brad Carson, president of the University of Tulsa, plans to step down at the end of May.
Robert E. Johnson, president of Western New England University since 2020, plans to step down in August.
Nayef Samhat, president of Wofford College, in South Carolina, will step down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
Marcus Thompson, president of Jackson State University, in Mississippi, has stepped down. Denise Jones Gregory, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has been named interim president.
William D. Underwood, president of Mercer University, plans to step down and return to the law school faculty full time.
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Lori Erica Varlotta, a professor of higher-education leadership and former president of California Lutheran University, has been named president of Antioch University, in Ohio.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES Appointments Jesse M. Bernal, vice president for strategy and university initiatives, chief of staff to the president, and chief executive of public charter schools at Grand Valley State University, in Michigan, has been named president of Western Connecticut State University.
Christian M. M. Brady, dean of the Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky, has been named president of Wittenberg University, in Ohio.
Nathan Carter, chief institutional effectiveness and inclusion officer at Northern Virginia Community College, has been named president of Skyline College, part of the San Mateo County Community College District, in California.
Philip Cavalier, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has been named president of Kutztown University, in Pennsylvania.
James Dlugos has been named president of Landmark College, in Vermont, after serving as interim president since 2024.
Domenico Grasso, chancellor of the University of Michigan at Dearborn, has been named interim president of the University of Michigan following Santa J. Ono’s departure.
Jim Hess has been named president of Oklahoma State University, after serving as interim president since February.
Deb Kerkaert, vice president for finance and administration at Southwest Minnesota State University, has been named acting president following Kumara Jayasuriya’s retirement.
John R. Loyack, former president of Alvernia University, in Pennsylvania, has been named president of Rider University, in New Jersey.
Johnny MacLean, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Montana Western, has been named chancellor of Montana Technological University.
James B. Milliken, chancellor of the University of Texas System, has been named president of the University of California System. John M. Zerwas, executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System, will replace Milliken as interim chancellor.
Prabhas V. Moghe, executive vice president for academic affairs at Rutgers University, has been named the sole finalist for the president of the University of Texas at Dallas.
Jeremy Moreland, president of William Woods University, has been named president of Saybrook University.
Jeanette M. Nuñez has been named president of Florida International University, after serving as interim president since February.
Santa J. Ono, president of the University of Michigan, has been named sole finalist for the president of the University of Florida.
Heather Pence has been named president of Chattahoochee Technical College after serving as interim president.
Rhonda G. Phillips, president of Chatham University, has been named president of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
William N. Ruud, former president of Marietta College, in Ohio, has been named president of Carroll College, in Montana.
Lori Erica Varlotta, a professor of higher-education leadership and former president of California Lutheran University, has been named president of Antioch University, in Ohio.
Van Wilson, interim president of Brightpoint Community College, has been named interim president of Germanna Community College, in Virginia.
Resignations Dennis Assanis, president of the University of Delaware since 2016, plans to step down at the end of June.
Brad Carson, president of the University of Tulsa, plans to step down at the end of May.
Robert E. Johnson, president of Western New England University since 2020, plans to step down in August.
Nayef Samhat, president of Wofford College, in South Carolina, will step down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
Marcus Thompson, president of Jackson State University, in Mississippi, has stepped down. Denise Jones Gregory, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has been named interim president.
William D. Underwood, president of Mercer University, plans to step down and return to the law school faculty full time.
CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS Appointments Robin Currey, associate provost and dean of academic affairs at Luther College, in Iowa, has been named vice president for academic affairs at Southwestern University, in Texas.
Ruth P. Feingold, dean of the college and dean of the faculty of arts and sciences at Willamette University, in Oregon, has been named vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Grinnell College, in Iowa.
Adam Hoffman, interim chair of the faculty and professor of environmental chemistry at the University of Dubuque, has been named vice president for academic affairs.
Thomas Smith, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the Catholic University of America, has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Providence College.
Gregor Thuswaldner, provost and executive vice president at Whitworth University, in Washington, has been named vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at La Roche University, in Pennsylvania.
Cheryl A. Wilson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at State University of New York at Old Westbury, has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Eastern Connecticut State University.
OTHER TOP ADMINISTRATORS Appointments Qadim Ghani, vice president for finance at Montgomery County Community College, has been named vice president and chief financial officer at the College of New Jersey.
Mike Hill, chief human-resources officer at North Carolina Central University, has been named vice president for human resources and chief human-resources officer at the University of Tampa.
Christi Hopkins, vice president for enrollment at McPherson College, in Kansas, has been named vice president for enrollment management at Stephens College, in Missouri.
Keith Johnson, a professor of engineering technology and chair of the department of engineering, engineering technology, interior architecture, and surveying at East Tennessee State University, has been named vice president for student success.
Katharine Laidlaw, chief marketing and communications officer for the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina, has been named chief communications officer at Pomona College, in California.
Alison Netski, vice dean of clinical affairs and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, has been named interim dean of the school and interim vice president for health affairs.
Amy Pennington, interim vice president for student affairs at Arkansas Tech University, has been named to the post permanently.
Will Sears has been named vice chancellor for university advancement at Appalachian State University, after serving as interim vice chancellor since May 2024.
Marco Serrato, associate provost at the University of Chicago, has been named vice president for Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University.
Laura Syer, vice president for budget and planning at Cornell University, has been named vice president for budget, financial planning, and analysis at New York University.
Jeanette Taylor
Jeanette Taylor, vice provost for academic affairs and a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia, has been named vice president for faculty development and advancement at Florida State University.
Mike Walsh, vice provost for student affairs at Oregon Health and Science University, has been named vice president for student affairs at the University of Mary Washington.
Catherine Wooton, vice president for advancement at Idaho State University, has been named vice president for university advancement at California State University-Stanislaus.
Tiffany Wright, deputy general counsel at Johns Hopkins University, has been named senior vice president and general counsel.
DEANS Appointments Viola L. Acoff, associate dean of undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Engineering at the University of Alabama, has been named dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi.
Saba Rasheed Ali, a professor of counseling psychology and associate dean of research in the College of Education at the University of Iowa, has been named interim associate provost for graduate and professional education and dean of the Graduate College.
James Bullock, dean of the School of Physical Sciences at the University of California at Irvine, has been named dean of the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.
Kala Burrell-Craft, an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, has been named dean of the College of Education at Grambling State University.
Courtney Catledge, interim campus dean for the University of South Carolina Lancaster, has been named to the post permanently.
Danny Dale, a professor of astronomy and associate dean in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Wyoming, has been named interim dean of the college.
Natalya Delcoure, dean of the College of Business Administration at Texas A&M University at Kingsville, has been named dean of the Dr. Sam Pack College of Business at Tarleton State University.
Gail Evans Grayson has been named dean of the College of Health Sciences at Western University of Health Sciences, after serving as acting dean since November 2022.
Scott Gordon, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Arkansas State University, has been named dean of the Waters College of Health Professions at Georgia Southern University.
Carole Roan Gresenz, former interim dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies at Georgetown University, has been named dean of the university’s McCourt School of Public Policy.
Jill V. Hamm, interim dean of the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since May 2024, has been named to the post permanently.
Amy Henley, dean of the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota, has been named dean of the College of Business at the University of Louisville.
Ethan Pollock, a professor of history and Slavic studies and chair of the history department at Brown University, has been named dean of the college.
Sergio Ruiz, director of the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, has been named dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Angelo State University.
Marty Sexton, acting dean of the College of Health, Education, and Human Services at Wright State University, has been named to the post permanently.
Melissa Toogood, a dancer and teacher who was a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, has been named dean and director of the dance division at the Juilliard School.
Marieke Van Puymbroeck, associate dean of the graduate school and a professor of recreational therapy at Clemson University, has been named vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Peter West
Peter West, dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Mercy University, has been named dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Pratt Institute.
Retirements Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi, will retire at the end of the year.
OTHER ADMINISTRATORS Appointments Mike Bonin, interim executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University at Los Angeles, has been named to the post permanently.
ShaRon Spry Dukes, director of student engagement at Augusta University, has been named assistant vice president for student life and engagement in the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs.
Shane Dunn, founder and president of Shane Dunn Social Sector Strategies, has been named deputy director of development at Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology.
Stephanie Johnson, associate director of athletics for compliance and Title IX, senior woman administrator, and interim head women’s volleyball coach at Susquehanna University, has been named athletic director at Goucher College.
Lisa Keegan, vice president for student enrollment, engagement, and success at Bucknell University, has been named vice provost for enrollment strategy at William & Mary.
Lanisa S. Kitchiner, former chief of the African and Middle Eastern Division at the Library of Congress, has been named associate vice president for global and diaspora engagement at Howard University.
Tony Talbert, founder of Pennsbury Capital, a private real estate investment firm, has been named executive director of the Borrelli Institute of Real Estate Studies in the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University.
Retirements Elizabeth Cowell, university librarian at the University of California at Santa Cruz, plans to retire in January.
ORGANIZATIONS Appointments Stephen L. Pruitt, president of the Southern Regional Education Board, has been named president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
DEATHS Robert Beagle, former vice president for university advancement at the University of Rhode Island, died on April 26. He was 81.
Michael Goldstein, a higher-education lawyer and former associate vice chancellor for urban affairs and associate professor of urban sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, died on April 26. He was 81.
Philip Sunshine, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, died on April 5. He was 94. Sunshine was a founding practitioner of neonatology.
Julia Piper, a data coordinator, compiles Gazette and manages production of the Almanac and Executive Compensation. Email her at julia.piper@chronicle.com.
