Hired
Loren J. Blanchard – California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach selected Loren Blanchard as its next president. He begins on May 1.
Loren J. Blanchard, California State University, Long Beach
Over the past five years, Blanchard has served as the president of the University of Houston-Downtown. His biggest accomplishments included securing support for campus expansion, increasing institutional funding and strengthening community relations.
Blanchard, a first-generation college graduate, previously served as the California State University system’s executive vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.
His career in higher education spans over 35 years.
Beong-Soo Kim – University of Southern California
Following a highly competitive leadership search, the University of Southern California has chosen to promote interim president Beong-Soo Kim to the permanent role, effective immediately.
Interim president since July 1, Kim inherited an institution rocked by political backlash over pro-Palestine protests on campus. He began a podcast that communicated the university’s leadership and priorities and has met with over 40,000 students, faculty, researchers and alumni, according to the university.
Beong-Soo Kim, University of Southern California
The 13th president of USC also turned down President Donald Trump’s compact, which would have prioritized federal funding to universities that aligned their policies with the administration.
“As a next-generation president, we believe that he can dramatically accelerate USC’s institutional advancement as a distinctive leader in higher education during a time of unprecedented change,” Suzanne Nora Johnson, chair of the USC Board of Trustees, said in a statement.
Kim previously served as the Trojans’ senior vice president and general counsel. A Harvard alumnus, his earlier work includes being a partner at an international law firm and senior roles at Kaiser Permanente, a health care company.
Tony Kline, Trine University (Ind.)
Tony Kline – Trine University (Ind.)
Tony Kline has been named as the 19th president of Trine University, a private university with campuses in Angola and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Kline has worked at Trine for the past 13 years, beginning as an associate professor in 2013. He has since served in multiple leadership positions. As the university’s executive vice president, Kline was a liaison between the president and the Board of Trustees and carried broad oversight of staff, budgets and policy.
As the dean of the university’s education school, Kline helped triple enrollment and secure a 100% employment rate for graduates seeking teaching positions.
Kline begins July 1.
Larry Lyon – Truett McConnell University (Ga.)
Larry Lyon has been selected as the ninth president of Truett McConnell University, a private Baptist institution in Cleveland, Georgia. He begins on April 1.
Lyon has steadily climbed the leadership ladder at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary since 2019.
Currently serving as vice president for business administration, Lyon has helped increase student-generated revenue by over $2.5 million and the seminary school’s endowment by over $17 million.
Jennifer L. Mnookin, Columbia University (N.Y.)
Jennifer L. Mnookin – Columbia University (N.Y.)
Columbia University has found its latest president in Jennifer Mnookin, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She begins her tenure on July 1.
Chancellor since 2022, Mnookin has contributed to increased enrollment, research growth and record philanthropic support. Some of her biggest university initiatives centered around increasing financial aid for in-state students, expanding civil dialogue on campus and increasing interdisciplinary collaboration to address significant state and global challenges.
Wisconsin-Madison comprises over 50,000 students, 13 schools and colleges and an affiliated health system.
Similar to her experience at Wisconsin’s state flagship, Mnookin will grapple with political pressure from the Trump administration, which has caused several leadership changes at Columbia over the past two years.
Former president Minouche Shafik stepped down in August 2024 following intense scrutiny from campus members and politicians over her Congressional testimony on antisemitism and student protests. Interim president Katrina Armstrong was replaced by Claire Shipman after seven months on the job.
“I am honored and thrilled to join Columbia University at this important moment,” Mnookin said in a statement.
Retiring
James Annarelli – Eckerd College (Fla.)
James Annarelli is retiring from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. He concludes a 36-year career at the private liberal arts college on June 30, 2027, WUSF reports.
Annarelli became the interim president of Eckerd in 2022 and landed the permanent role a year later. As the college’s sixth president, he helped secure a $4 million gift that helps recognize faculty contributions.
Annarelli served as the vice president for student life and dean of Eckerd for 20 years.
Tim Hood – Mid Michigan College
President Tim Hood will retire from Mid Michigan College on June 30, concluding six years at the helm.
Hood focused on strengthening regional connections and supporting student success initiatives, according to the college.
Paul A. Jones – Fort Valley State University (Ga.)
President Paul Jones is retiring from Fort Valley State University, a public land-grant university and HBCU in Fort Valley, Georgia, according to The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
Over the past 10 years, Jones has expanded academic offerings and improved campus infrastructure. He had previously served as the interim president at Darton State University (Ga.) and Georgia College and State University.
Jones retires at the end of June.
Daniel Mosser – West Virginia Northern Community College
Daniel Mosser, West Virginia Northern Community College
After 41 years in higher education and workforce development and as president of West Virginia Northern Community College, Daniel Mosser is calling it a career.
President since 2019, Mosser has helped double the college’s enrollment and expand program offerings. He has dedicated his career to building career pathways for low-income and first-generation students.
Mosser will retire on June 30.
Monica Posey – Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (Ohio)
Monica Posey, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (Ohio)
Monica Posey is retiring from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College after 10 years as president and 34 years with the institution, WVXU reports. Her last day will be Aug. 31.
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Posey helped the community college reach its highest enrollment in a decade, achieve its strongest financial footing in 30 years and produce graduates with the highest average earnings among all 22 community colleges in Ohio.
The sixth college president had previously worked as the institution’s director of institutional research and provost.
Stepping down
Seth Bodnar – University of Montana
Seth Bodnar, University of Montana
University of Montana President Seth Bodnar is stepping down after eight years on the job.
In a public statement, Bodnar touted the state flagship’s effort in reversing a decade-long enrollment decline while increasing retention and graduation rates. The university has also expanded access to education for low-income and first-generation students and doubled its research volume to achieve R1 Carnegie Classification status.
“Today, I remain all in on Montana, UM, and the vital work we do—for our students, for our state, and for our country,” Bodnar wrote. “What we do here matters. Now more than ever.”
Suzanne Johnson – Green River College (Wash.)
The Board of Trustees at Green River College in Washington voted to terminate President Suzanne Johnson’s contract, effective immediately, KUOW reports.
The board described it as a “difficult decision” in a statement but did not provide reasoning for the move.
However, the leadership change comes amid a massive budget shortfall, college-wide cuts and an impending vote of no confidence in Johnson from the faculty union.
The projected deficit reached $14.2 million before Johnson implemented 5% cuts in every division of the college for the current academic year’s budget and froze hiring.
“We should have been having hard conversations three, four years ago about sustainability, and managing our budget,” Dave Norberg, faculty union president, told KUOW. “Instead it was just radio silence.”