Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education appointed Jane McBride Gates as interim president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, replacing outgoing President Mark Ojakian.
Gates, who has served as CSCU’s provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs, will start in her new role on Dec. 31, when Ojakian officially retires as president, according to CSCU.
“I am honored. I appreciate the confidence of the Board of Regents and the opportunity to serve the CSCU system during a transitional period,” Gates said.
Ojakian became CSCU’s president in 2015 and has been the driving force behind a three-year effort to merge the system’s 12 community colleges into a single entity, dubbed Connecticut Community College. The Board of Regents in May named David Levinson as interim president of the state’s to-be-consolidated community college system.
In October, Ojakian told Gov. Ned Lamont that CSCU is facing a budget deficit that requires a $69 million bailout. The four regional CSCU universities seem to be facing the system’s largest deficit – a $52.5 million shortfall. However, that system would still be left with a reserve – about the size of 12% of its annual expenses – while the community colleges would be left with enough to cover only 3% of their costs.
Gates has served in the CSCU system since 2011, when she took over as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Connecticut State University. She previously held leadership positions at Savannah State University and Arkansas State University.