Harrisburg – The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has conferred the status of President Emeritus upon Clarion University of Pennsylvania President Joseph P. Grunenwald, who plans to retire in June.

Dr. Grunenwald was named president of Clarion University in July 2003. He has been at the university for more than 30 years, also having served as a professor of marketing, department chair, interim executive dean of the Venango Campus and provost and vice president of academic affairs.

At the presentation ceremony, Dr. Grunenwald was congratulated for his outstanding leadership through his “continuous service as a colleague, trusted adviser and mentor to chancellors, presidents and senior leadership throughout the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.”

To be eligible for emeritus status, an individual must have spent at least five continuous years in his or her leadership position and have shown “an exemplary record of service through the demonstrated commitments of time, talent and resources” to PASSHE.

Dr. Grunenwald is only the fifth president to be granted emeritus status in PASSHE’s nearly 27-year history. The others are Dr. Tony Ceddia, former president of Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Joseph Caputo, former president of Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Diane Reinhard, former president of Clarion University of Pennsylvania; and Dr. Madeleine Wing Adler, former president of West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 117,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 454,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.