Next president named at St. Cloud State University

ST. CLOUD — Minnesota State’s board of trustees on Wednesday voted unanimously to name Gregory Tomso the 26th president of St. Cloud State University.

Tomso, who most recently served as vice president of academic engagement and student affairs at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, is slated to start in the role Jan. 5.

“It’s quite a special place, and I am really truly looking forward to calling it home,” said Tomso, who plans to move to the city with his partner, Dr. Conor Cronin.

Chancellor Scott Olson told trustees the job drew 99 candidates, and the hiring committee conducted 14 preliminary interviews. Four finalists visited campus in early November to meet with university and community leaders, where Olson said they received an overwhelming volume of feedback.

“We’ve never seen the like of it,” he said. “The St. Cloud community was unbelievable during this search.”

Olson said Tomso has experience at regional universities as both a faculty member and administrator, which appealed to faculty, students and staff. The University of West Florida has about 15,000 students and 1,900 employees.

He’s also overseen significant gains in student success and retention in his previous roles. Students and faculty at SCSU told the hiring committee they appreciated Tomso’s authenticity, emphasis on transparency and commitment to shared governance.

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Tomso has been with the University of West Florida since 2004, serving as the head of the honors program, chair of the English Department and as an English professor. Before that, he was an assistant professor of English at Ithaca College in New York. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his doctorate from Duke University.

Olson said campus members wanted a leader who would commit long term to the university and community, and felt Tomso would do so.

“I’m excited to step into the role of president because I’ve seen firsthand how faculty, staff, students, administrators and community leaders in St. Cloud are making great strides toward the future,” he said. “And one thing I really appreciate about my visit here [is] I was able to have many, many frank conversations with people on campus and off campus ... about what we need to do and how we need to move forward.”

After a few tumultuous years that saw the elimination of nearly 100 programs and dozens of faculty at St. Cloud State, school leaders have found success in newly implemented accelerated courses that allow for flexibility in students’ schedules. The programs, along with plans next year to fold five colleges into three, are part of SCSU’s recent plans to get in the black by 2028.

On Wednesday, Dietz said during his time as interim president, he’s seen reinvigorated relationships with city leadership — including the mayor and city administrator, who are both SCSU alums — as well as a growing relationship with the region’s business community and a new sense of collaboration on campus. He lauded the university’s $700 million economic impact on the St. Cloud region and highlighted the “pretty doggone stable” enrollment of about 10,000 students over the last four years.

“There’s still plenty of work to do and I wish our new president well in the endeavor,” Dietz said.