In addition to all the changes and potential changes in governmental office holders due to retirements and newly filed candidacies after the filing period in June, New Hampshire’s higher education leadership has seen a number of changes on July 1, the beginning of most institutional fiscal years.
At UNH, the state’s flagship public research institution, Jim Dean retired after a distinguished tenue marked by calm and decent leadership and quiet progress in educational programs and relations with the state. His successor is Dr. Elizabeth Chilton, who comes to UNH from Washington State University’s Pullman campus.
Also, the board of trustees named a new chancellor, the second role Dr. Dean had filled before his retirement. Longtime financial officer and former state treasurer Catherine Provencher was promoted from within to serve in the position that has had a long history of trying to define itself, whether as “coordinator” of the university system’s components, or “leader” of the system.
Manchester Community College President Brian Bicknell resigned after almost a decade of distinguished service and program building. Noted for helping the college participate as a partner in such efforts as the ARMI effort, Bicknell is taking a job in Boston as COO of a nonprofit.
At SNHU, one of the largest nonprofit institutions in the state, Dr. Paul LeBlanc stepped down as president after 21 years of significant leadership and change. As was widely noted at his retirement, LeBlanc took a successful SNHU with a strong campus program and remote learning centers, as well as a fledgling online program, and built SNHU into perhaps the largest university in the nation in terms of enrollment.
This writer was a trustee of SNHU for 30 years and remembers well when LeBlanc said at a trustee meeting, “We are either going to do online, or we are not going to do online, but we are not going to ‘sort of do online.’” Separating the online and on-campus divisions, and ensuring that the online programs have academic integrity, produced the quality program now known globally.
The substantial cash surpluses provided by the online program have allowed SNHU to develop on-campus programs and facilities that are the envy of many other colleges, and success at a time other small New England schools are struggling in a time of declining high school graduates.
LeBlanc is being succeeded by Dr. Lisa Myerson, former SNHU provost and before that, president of Wells College, in Aurora, New York, probably as different a college from SNHU as can be imagined. Before that puts anyone off, however, folks should remember that LeBlanc came to SNHU from Marlboro College in Brattleboro, Vermont, also a tiny liberal arts school no longer around. LeBlanc will remain with an affiliate of SNHU, doing research on the effects of artificial intelligence on higher education.
Dr. Susan Stuebner left her position at Colby-Sawyer College on June 30. President for eight years, Stuebner announced her resignation earlier this spring to take the presidency of Marietta College in Ohio. Later, Stuebner announced she was unable to take that job for personal reasons.
During her tenure, Stuebner led Colby-Sawyer in its affiliation with Dartmouth Health System to provide nursing and other health-related educational programs, including graduate programs, and the construction of a major health education building with state-of-the-art facilities offering realistic training in a clinical setting for nurses and other health care professionals. Also, a new arts center opened, adding more cultural offerings to the New London college. Former Academic Vice President Laura Sykes will become interim president of Colby-Sawyer in August, leading the school during the period of a search for a new leader.
Finally, and also after eight years in office, Franklin Pierce University President Kim Mooney retired from her position in June.
The resignations or retirements of so many educational leaders at one time is not surprising, as college presidencies last an average of only a few years, and LeBlanc was a rare exception to the average tenure.
More stressful than immediate crises, however, is the demographic “cliff” facing all institutions of higher education. Decreased numbers of traditional entering students, namely high school graduates coming directly to college, pose a major challenge.
In 2026, there will be an estimated 25% fewer high school students graduating than there were in 2008. This is especially problematic in New England, where there are fewer and more small colleges seeking to serve them. Every college is examining where its “customers” are coming from.
This is not just important to the colleges; it is critical for the communities that depend on them for economic activity. It is a problem worth watching.
Brad Cook is a Manchester attorney. The views expressed in this column are his own. He can be reached at bradfordcook01@gmail.com.
