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Dr. Richard J. Helldobler, interim president of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Illinois, has been appointed the eighth president of William Paterson University in Wayne after a nationwide search. His appointment is effective July 1, 2018.
“Dr. Helldobler’s career has been committed to public higher education and to the academic and personal achievements of students,” says Fred Gruel, chair of the William Paterson University Board of Trustees. “As we learned from his visit with us, he has a strong background as an academician, having served as a faculty member, dean, academic vice president, and president, and we are delighted that he will be bringing his expertise and leadership to William Paterson University.
“I am truly honored to be joining the William Paterson community as its next president. I look forward to working with the students, faculty, and staff as we continue to strengthen the academic legacy of William Paterson University by educating the next generation of leaders in New Jersey, the region, and the nation,” says Dr. Helldobler. “My visit to William Paterson certainly proved it is a very special place, and I am sure my admiration for the institution will only deepen as we get to know each other better, and together continue the great work currently taking place at the University.”
Helldobler has served as interim president at Northeastern Illinois University since July 2016. During his tenure, he led a successful capital campaign, the College of Business and Management earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the university’s accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission was reaffirmed for a ten-year period. Prior to his appointment as president, he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs, overseeing all matters related to academics, including the oversight of four colleges, the library, admissions, recruitment, and other areas.
Prior to his appointments at Northeastern Illinois University, he served as vice president for academic affairs at Shepherd University in West Virginia from 2009 to 2012, as well as associate provost/associate vice president for academic affairs at California University of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2009. Helldobler joined California University of Pennsylvania in 1990, where he was a faculty member and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance from 1990 to 2000, as well as interim dean and dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 2000 to 2006. Helldobler earned his PhD and master of arts in theater from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Toledo.
As president of William Paterson University, Helldobler will lead an institution with 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. A leading comprehensive public university in New Jersey, the University offers 52 undergraduate and 47 graduate programs, including two doctoral degrees, through five colleges: Arts and Communication, the Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Health. Among the University’s faculty are more than 41 Fulbright scholars and recipients of numerous other awards, grants, and fellowships. Students benefit from individualized attention from faculty mentors, small class sizes, and numerous research, internship, and clinical experiences.
Kathleen Waldron, who led significant strategic initiatives that enhanced academics and infrastructure, is retiring on June 30, 2018 after serving as president since August 2010. Waldron guided the development of the University’s Strategic Plan 2012-22, led William Paterson to increase its academic offerings, including the launch of its second doctoral program, the doctor of psychology, and saw the University designated a Hispanic-serving institution. During her administration, the University also launched an extensive building and renovation project that has transformed the academic facilities at the core of the campus. Waldron also led University efforts to expand initiatives that provide students with opportunities beyond the classroom, including increased offerings for student participation in civic engagement opportunities, an enhanced focus on active involvement by undergraduate students in research and other scholarly and creative activities with faculty, and the implementation of enhanced career development support for students, including the establishment of the Pesce Family Mentoring Institute.
Helldobler’s career in academia spans more than three decades. At Northeastern Illinois University, which is regarded as the most diverse public comprehensive university in the Midwest, Helldobler has spearheaded a number of significant initiatives, including the creation of academic programming for its El Centro location, which opened in 2014. He also established the Center for College Access and Success (CCAS), which partners with teachers, parents, and neighborhood communities to improve educational equity and excellence for students so that they will succeed in college and beyond.
He was the founding artistic director for CalRep Pennsylvania, a pre-professional summer theatre program, and The Mon Valley Ballet Theatre, the resident ballet company at California University of Pennsylvania. His research has resulted in articles in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, among others, and he has made presentations at numerous national and regional conferences. Helldobler has served as a mentor for the Leadership Institute for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and chaired the association’s task force that retooled the national standards for promotion and tenure for theatre faculty. A 2005-06 ACE Fellow, he has remained closely connected to the Fellows Program having served as the co-chair the Professional Development Committee, secretary of the Executive Board, and as a nominator. He most recently completed the Harvard’s Institutional Executive Management Program. He has served on the board of directors for the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, the Renaissance City Choirs, the Persad Center, Pennsylvania Arts Collaborative, and currently serves on the board of the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
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