Fitchburg State trustees make pick for next university president

FITCHBURG — The Fitchburg State University Board of Trustees has nominated Donna Souder Hodge to be the university's 12th president, the university announced in a press release.

She would be the university's first woman president if she takes the position.

“I am honored and excited for the opportunity to join the Fitchburg State community,” Hodge said in a statement. “It was clear from my interactions with campus and community constituencies during the search process that Fitchburg State is a special place and I look forward to being part of its continued progress and building upon its strong foundation.”

Richard S. Lapidus, the previous president of Fitchburg State, announced in October that he was retiring at the end of June after serving as president for nine years.

The Board of Trustees nominated Hodge following a national search for candidates. Three finalists visited the campus for interviews, according to a Fitchburg State statement.

The nomination is contingent upon approval by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and contract negotiations.

Hodge is vice president of operations and advancement at Colorado State University, Pueblo. She has worked there in various roles since 2010 including chief strategy officer and as a tenured faculty member.

“We are confident Dr. Hodge has the leadership skills and experience to find consensus among campus constituencies as we confront the challenges facing all institutions of higher education," C. Deborah Phillips, chair of the Board of Trustees, said in a statement. "She is a strong communicator who is mindful of the critical role that public higher education plays in the success of the city and region.”

Lapidus, who became the school's 11th president in July 2015, oversaw, among other things, the modernization of facilities, expansion of academic and extracurricular activities and navigating the university through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hodge would become president at a time when Fitchburg State University, and colleges nationwide, have seen a drop in enrollment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fitchburg State University in particular saw a 26% drop in undergraduate enrollment from 2013 to 2022.

Within the last 10 years, Fitchburg State University's reported enrollment numbers had begun to decline with the highest number of undergraduate students in 2015 at 4,270. By 2019, that number was down to 4,044. Enrollment further fell in the aftermath of the pandemic, with 3,193 students reported in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Donna Souder Hodge nominated as next president of Fitchburg State Univ