Hired
Ken Udas – Charter Oak State College (Connecticut)
Connecticut’s higher education system tapped Ken Udas as president of Charter Oak State College after serving as interim president since March 2026.
Udas arrived at Charter Oak in 2024 as vice president of academic affairs and has spent much of his career focused on online learning, workforce development and the success of nontraditionals.
Retired
Scott Green – University of Idaho
University of Idaho President Scott Green will retire on June 30, 2027, after nearly eight years at the helm.
A university alumnus, Green became president in 2019 and guided the institution through a fraught period, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a budget crisis. He oversaw a major security expansion after the murder of four students captured national attention and sparked widespread fear on campus.
Green helped Idaho gain R1 Carnegie classification, update campus facilities and restructure operations to end deficit spending.
Christopher L. Holoman – Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College President Christopher L. Holoman plans to retire at the end of the 2026-27 academic year, ending a presidency that reshaped the private liberal arts college.
Taking office in 2016, Holoman oversaw the largest fundraising campaign in the college’s history. College leaders credited him with strengthening academic programs and campus offerings while improving Centenary’s visibility and competitiveness within the region.
Lynn Mahoney – San Francisco State University (California)
San Francisco State University President Lynn Mahoney will retire after eight years leading the campus.
The university’s first woman president, Mahoney guided San Francisco State through enrollment declines, budget pressures and shifting demographic trends facing public higher education in California.
She also navigated campus protests in 2024, eventually agreeing to divest the university from weapons manufacturers and other indirect investments tied to human rights violations, reports Golden Gate Xpress, the student newspaper.
This fall, new enrollment at San Francisco State increased by more than 10%, marking a significant turnaround. She also raised over $175 million over her time as president.
Seamus Reilly – Carl Sandburg College (Illinois)
Carl Sandburg College President Seamus Reilly announced he will retire by July 2027 after leading the Illinois community college for nearly a decade.
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Reilly became president in 2018 and helped oversee major campus improvements, academic program expansion and stronger workforce partnerships across west-central Illinois. A health and sciences center established in 2024 was the first new building on the Galesburg campus since 2006.
His retirement will conclude a higher education career spanning more than 30 years.
Anthony Wise Jr. – Pellissippi State Community College (Tennessee)
Pellissippi State Community College President Anthony Wise Jr. is calling it a career at the end of the 2026-27 academic year.
Wise became president in 2011 and oversaw a period of significant institutional growth that included the opening of a new campus, the construction of major academic and workforce facilities and the launch of intercollegiate athletics.
His final day on campus is expected to be May 21, 2027, ending 30 years of service in Tennessee higher education and 16 years leading the Knoxville-area community college.
Stepping down
David Armstrong – St. Thomas University (Florida)
David Armstrong resigned as president of St. Thomas University following an investigation into alleged violations of university policy, Miami New Times reports.
Officials first placed Armstrong on leave in July without disclosing any details about the investigation.
Armstrong had served as president since 2018, helping expand enrollment, fundraising and revenue. The university has more than doubled its assets, tripled on-campus housing and increased its operating revenue by 54%.
Mordecai Brownlee – Community College of Aurora (Colorado)
Mordecai Brownlee will finish his tenure as president of the Community College of Aurora at the end of the calendar year.
Brownlee became president in 2021 and achieved four consecutive years of record enrollment and student completion rates. The college also expanded workforce training opportunities and raised more than $1.3 million in scholarships.
Jennifer Cowley – University of Texas at Arlington
Jennifer Cowley will step down as president of the University of Texas at Arlington and return to the faculty after overseeing a period of substantial enrollment and research growth.
Cowley, the institution’s first female president, took office in 2022. During her tenure, the university expanded enrollment to a record 42,710 students and launched a $60 million initiative to hire 100 tenured faculty. She also oversaw the construction of two new academic buildings, a residence hall and a student life center, according to the Fort Worth Report.
Navigating a tighter financial environment, Cowley has had to cut or consolidate several academic programs and issue more than 200 faculty and staff buyouts. Net tuition revenue is expected to decline in fiscal 2027 due to declining international enrollment and a precarious federal funding environment.
Darrin Martin – Bluefield State University (West Virginia)
The Bluefield State University Board of Governors has withdrawn approval of Darrin Martin’s contract extension following revelations about the university’s finances, Metro News reports.
Chairman Charlie Cole found that the HBCU was “significantly behind” on payment obligations and could not obtain reliable financial information from Martin.
Martin became president in 2024.
Marcelo Suárez-Orozco – The University of Massachusetts Boston
Marcelo Suárez-Orozco announced he will step down as chancellor of UMass Boston in February, concluding nearly seven years on the job.
Arriving in 2020, Suárez-Orozco has focused on strengthening the institution’s research profile and campus renovation. The university achieved R1 Carnegie Classification last year thanks in part to increased investment in quantum computing, infectious disease diagnostics and climate sustainability. Suárez-Orozco also helped oversee a $293 million overhaul of facilities, the first of its kind since UMass Boston opened in 1974, WBUR reports.
Suárez-Orozco will remain on campus to focus on research and teaching climate change and AI.
