The dean of Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions has been appointed as the ninth president of Montclair State University in New Jersey.
Jonathan Koppell, who has led the Watts College since 2011 after coming to ASU the previous year, shared the news in a letter to colleagues on Monday, the same day it was announced by Montclair State.
Montclair State’s board of trustees is expected to formalize the appointment at its June 22 meeting, and Koppell will start in his new role on Aug. 2. The institution is one of New Jersey’s largest public research universities, with more than 21,000 students enrolled in about 300-degree programs in its 10 colleges and schools.
Koppell said he hopes to build on the work done by outgoing Montclair State President Susan Cole, who is retiring after 23 years leading the school, doubling its enrollment and transforming it into a doctoral research university with a sizable residential population.
“I could not be more excited about joining Montclair State University,” Koppell said in a statement. “At a pivotal moment in higher education, this university – with its deep commitment to serving the public interest and advancing student success – has an opportunity to define the future.”
