March 15, 2011

Dr. Michael Fiorentino Jr. named Lock Haven University president

Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu

Dr. Fiorentino, who was named at the conclusion of a national search, will assume his new duties on July 1. He will succeed Dr. Barbara B. Dixon, who has served as interim president of LHU since last July.

“Dr. Fiorentino has a long and impressive record in higher education,” said Board of Governors Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin. “We are confident he will provide excellent leadership to Lock Haven University during these extremely challenging times.”

Dr. Fiorentino has served as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fitchburg State for six years. He was named executive vice president in June. In his current position, he is responsible for all academic and student service administrative offices and academic departments. He also serves on the Senior Cabinet, the Development and University Advancement Team and the University Foundation Support Team, and as the university’s chief administrative officer in the absence of the president. He is the chief adviser to the president and works closely with the executive director of development on the university’s capital campaign.

“Dr. Fiorentino has a vast range of experience in many areas of higher education,” said PASSHE Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh. “He will be a valuable addition to the State System and to our outstanding cadre of presidents.”

Dr. Fiorentino said he looks forward to the challenge of leading Lock Haven University.

“I’m pleased and honored to be selected by the Board of Governors and look forward to serving the Commonwealth and the Lock Haven and Clearfield communities,” he said. “Lock Haven University has accomplished and outstanding faculty, administrators and staff who care deeply about the students they serve. I’m confident we’ll develop a strong team and continue to advance high quality academic programs and student support services on behalf of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. My wife Pam and I are excited about joining the Lock Haven community.”

“We are very pleased that Dr. Fiorentino has been selected to lead Lock Haven University,” said Guy Graham, chair of LHU’s Council of Trustees, which assisted with the search. “His credentials are very impressive and uniquely qualify him to embrace the university’s future. On behalf of the Council of Trustees I offer him our heartfelt congratulations and we look forward to working with him to guide our university during these challenging times.”

“The search committee did an outstanding job in bringing highly qualified candidates to our campus,” said Committee Chair George Durrwachter. “The selection of Dr. Fiorentino as our next president is a tribute to their hard work and diligence to find the best person to serve the past, present and future students of The Haven.”

Dr. Fiorentino earned his Bachelor of Science degree in special education from Fitchburg State College in 1971. He has a Master of Education degree in special education from Boston University and a doctoral degree in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He worked for a year as a special education teacher in the Needham, Mass., public schools before joining the faculty of Fitchburg State as an assistant professor of special education in 1974.

He spent five years as associate dean and principal of the McKay Campus School/Teacher Education Center at Fitchburg before being named associate vice president for academic affairs in 1987. He also served as associate vice president and executive assistant to the president and chair of the Special Education Department. He has held the rank of professor since 1998.

Dr. Fiorentino is a member of the Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education’s Task Force on Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment and served on the National Voluntary System of Accountability Workgroup. He also has served as a consultant to the Association of American Schools of Central America and the Bermuda Ministry of Education, among others. He is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and AASCU, and has worked with numerous community organizations.

Lock Haven University was founded in 1870. It currently enrolls nearly 5,500 students and has approximately 275 full- and part-time faculty at its main campus in Lock Haven and branch campus in Clearfield. It offers 70 undergraduate and four graduate degree programs.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 120,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 500,000 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.