PennWest has a new school president. He hopes to 'build on the progress' school has made

Jon Anderson will be the next president of Pennsylvania Western University.

Currently provost and vice president for academic affairs at Southern Utah University, Anderson will start his new job on July 1.

He was appointed to the position by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors during a virtual meeting Wednesday morning.

"(Dr. Anderson) is a first-generation college student himself who personally understands the power of obtaining a degree," Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia Shapiro said. "He has worked in public higher education for more than 30 years in leadership roles in a university with multiple campuses and an online division."

Anderson previously was president for academic affairs at Middle Georgia State University. He has a doctorate in business administration from the University of Kentucky, a master's in business education from the (State) University of West Georgia and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Utah State University.

Anderson thanked the board for his appointment and pledged to work for the success of the university that consolidated the former Edinboro, California and Clarion universities of Pennsylvania in July 2022.

"It takes a remarkable combination of courage and collaboration to reimagine a university as PennWest has done," Anderson said. "Together we will continue to build on the progress that PennWest has made and find new ways to fulfill our promise to the students and communities we serve."

Kenneth Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty, called on the new president to maintain the "competence, openness and collegiality," shared governance and plan for the university's future created by PennWest interim President Laurie Bernotsky.

Bernotsky will become president of West Chester University in July.

The new president will lead a university that still has "battle scars" from consolidation, Mash said.

"The faculty was forced to step up to make that institution work, at times keeping the university going with duct tape," Mash said. "Unfortunately in that process they felt too often that they were being taken advantage of and left to figure out details on the fly because of the lack of details in this integration process."

Faculty want assurances that there will not be "irrational" program cuts or faculty layoffs and that students have the best possible opportunities to succeed, Mash said.

"Above all they want competence. They want rationality. They want quality leadership and they want stability," Mash said.

Anderson is well qualified to lead the university forward, Kathy Pape, chairwoman of PennWest trustees, said in a statement.

"He has demonstrated the ability to engage successfully with a wide variety of students, faculty and staff in a multi-campus environment. He has a wealth of experience in business management, data analysis and budget planning. Above all, he is committed to PennWest's mission of providing a life changing educational experience for our students and a workforce for our communities," Pape said.

The university is charting a sound course for its future, Shapiro said.

"It will be here to serve western Pennsylvania and beyond for decades to come," Shapiro said.

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PennWest names Anderson as new university president