Public Institution

The University of Utah has successfully appointed Dr. Charles Musgrave as their next Dean of the John & Marcia Price College of Engineering. Dr. Musgrave will begin on July 1st. Dr. Musgrave currently serves as Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado, with a joint appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He earlier served as Associate Chair and Director of the Graduate Program of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and, most recently, as Associate Dean for Graduate Education for the College of Engineering and Applied Science. He is a fellow of the Materials Science and Engineering Program and Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute at the University of Colorado. Before his nearly 16 years in Colorado, Musgrave served as an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University, and as a visiting professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University. He has collaborated with Intel Corporation, SC Solutions Corporation, General Motors Corporation, and Xerox Corporation, among many others. Along with his notable achievements, Musgrave brings a unique perspective to his leadership role as a first-generation student and son of an immigrant. Dr. Musgrave earned his B.S. in materials science and engineering at the University of California Berkeley. Both his M.S. and Ph.D. in materials science were earned at California Institute of Technology. Read more.

Stony Brook University has successfully appointed Ms. Joan McCormick as their new Director of Development, School of Communication and Journalism/Academic Affairs. Ms. McCormick started her new role on February 19th. Ms. McCormick comes to Stony Brook from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, where she served as Executive Director of Development from 2019 to 2023.  Prior to CUNY, she was Vice President and Major Gift Officer for the East at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2019) and Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Pratt Institute (2016-2018). Ms. McCormick earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Rutger's University and her Master of Public Administration from Kean 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.

Santa Fe College has successfully appointed Dr. J. Nathaniel Southerland as their new Provost. Dr. Southerland has served in multiple leadership roles in higher education, including four and a half years as Provost at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, Arizona, which followed five years as Associate Provost during his nine-year career in academic leadership at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has led efforts in developing academic master plans and has launched multiple innovative academic programs. He understands that robust Liberal Arts and Career and Technical programs are vital to a well-rounded college experience, promotes the importance of dual enrollment programs to support a college-going culture, and has 20 years of teaching experience, including nearly a decade of experience as an adjunct in both community college and university settings. Most recently, Dr. Southerland served St. Johns River State College as Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development. 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. 

Stony Brook University has successfully appointed Mr. Adam Siepiola as their new Director of Development within the College of Business. Mr. Siepiola started his new role on February 5th. Mr. Siepiola comes to Stony Brook from Adelphi University, where he served as a major gift officer from 2017 to 2019, and then served as Director of Advancement from 2022 to 2024.  Between those roles, he served as a major gift officer at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. Mr. Siepiola earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Studies at St. John Fisher College and his MBA from Adelphi University. 

Oakton College has successfully appointed Ms. Michele Roberts as their new Vice President of Administrative Affairs. Bringing a robust background in higher education finance, Ms. Roberts recently managed a $130 million annual operating fund portfolio as the vice chancellor of Administration and Finance for the Ivy Tech Community College system. Overseeing four campuses, she led the finance, HR, facilities and IT departments. Ms. Roberts holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Iowa, a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Western Governors University, and a Juris Doctorate and an MBA from Indiana University. In her role at Oakton, Ms. Roberts will oversee business and finance functions, encompassing budget services, purchasing, facilities, police, emergency management, risk management, auxiliary services and IT. Additionally, she will offer strategic analysis and counsel for the College's business operations, supporting multi-year planning. Read more.

California State University Monterey Bay has successfully appointed Ms. Tara Hughes as their new Chief Information Officer. Ms. Hughes brings over 10 years of IT experience within the California State University System and since 2021 has served as the Chief Information Officer at California State University Maritime Academy. In addition, as noted in the campus announcement, "She is active within the broader higher education IT community and serves on the Board of Directors for EDUCAUSE and was elected by fellow CIOs to serve on the Executive Council for the CSU CIO Council. She received a National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Virtual Innovation Award in 2021 and a Strategic Initiatives Award for looking at how AI could improve retention in 2019." Ms. Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling from The Master’s University in Santa Clarita and a Master’s in Public Administration from Cal State, San Bernardino. 

Northern Michigan University has successfully appointed Dr. Shawnrece D. Campbell as Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Campbell joins Northern Michigan University from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, where she served as Dean, College of Liberal Arts and CBE Project Director & Coordinator; Professor of English & Interdisciplinary Studies. Prior to Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Dr. Campbell has held several leadership positions while at Stetson University, including Director of the Africana Studies Program, founding Director of the Bachelor’s degree completion program in Organizational Leadership, and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. At Stetson, Dr. Campbell was appointed to serve on the University’s Inclusive Hiring Task Force and the University’s Equity and Inclusion Group. She also established the Stetson University American Association of University Women (AAUW) Branch and presided as its inaugural president. Her teaching specialties include writing as a healing art, food as medicine, and women’s economic empowerment. Her co-authored book, “Toni Morrison’s Secret Drive: A Reader-Response Study of the Fiction and Its Rhetoric,” analyzes how the Nobel Prize-winning author inspires readers to recognize and question their preconceptions and to participate in dismantling racism and sexism. Dr. Campbell received a Ph.D. in English from Kent State University, an M.B.A. from Stetson University, an M.A. from Youngstown State University, and a B.A. from John Carroll University. Read more.

Stockton University has successfully appointed Dr. Michael A. Palladino as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs effective May 6, 2024. Dr. Palladino currently serves as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University and brings over 30 years of leadership and academic experience to his new role. He holds a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from the University of Virginia and a BS in Biology from Trenton State College, now The College of New Jersey. Read more.