University of Tampa names its 11th president after monthslong search

The University of Tampa has named Texas Christian University Provost Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg as its next president.

Following a monthslong search that saw more than 160 candidates apply, Dahlberg was named the successor to outgoing President Ronald Vaughn, who has led the university for almost 30 years.

A news release said Dahlberg, who will begin June 1, has over 20 years of higher education experience as a professor of computer science and university administrator. The release called her “an advocate of student success, innovative academic programs and inclusivity initiatives.”

Her experience included overseeing research, fundraising and diversity programs.

“Dr. Dahlberg’s passion for top-quality academics, her support of the student experience, and her administrative background makes her an excellent next president for UT,” Charlotte Baker, chairperson of the UT board of trustees, said in the release.

Dahlberg has also served as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University, chief academic officer and dean of the Albert Nerken School of Engineering at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, and associate dean of the College of Computing and Informatics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She also previously worked for IBM Corporation.

She said in an interview that she had been frequently approached by higher education search firms, but was intrigued by the University of Tampa.

“I was so impressed,” she said. “It is a university that has undergone an amazing transformation and trajectory, an upward trajectory for the past three decades. I’m very impressed that this was all accomplished with very strategic thinking, working step by step. I give big kudos to President Vaughn for what he has managed to accomplish.”

Dahlberg said she looks forward to learning more from the university and Tampa Bay community, but has some initial ideas on five areas where the university can continue to grow. She said she would focus on the school’s diversity, its reputation, bolstering its financial stability, growing its endowment and enhancing the educational experience.

“To me, college has never been just about earning a credential, but actually being in a community of a lot of different people, a lot of different cultures, and really broadening your view of the world and your place in that through your interaction with other people,” Dahlberg said. “College can be a great personal growth opportunity. At the same time, I do understand that the public has been questioning the return on investment for a very long time.”

Her goal, she said, is to help people understand the return on a UT degree and continue to make it greater.

Omar Harvey, chairperson of Texas Christian University’s faculty senate, said in an email that Dahlberg “is a champion for access, student success and diversity.”

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He added: ”Faculty at UT can expect a very fair and equitable president that is very big on working collaboratively with them towards a system of evidence-based, data-driven decision-making.”

Ryan Cragun, president of UT’s faculty senate and a member of the search committee, said faculty and staff were excited for a candidate who had worked her way up the ranks of academia.

He said the university is at an inflection point.

“President Vaughn did a great job of effectively saving the University of Tampa,” said Cragun, a sociology professor. “We were in dire straits in the 1990s. Today, we’re in a much more solid financial situation. We’ve grown a lot, we’re established and that’s all really good. But we do kind of have a question that we’re facing, and that is: ‘What is the mission of this institution?’”

While some want the university to continue its focus on undergraduate instruction, many want to shift toward a more research-oriented university, he said.

“We have hired a lot of really qualified faculty over the last 10 years,” Cragun said. “We’ve been in a good position because we’ve been able to hire really good people, many of whom are doing cutting-edge, excellent research.”

He said he thinks UT will likely have a new direction within five years.

“Big institutions are slow-moving entities, and changing the direction of a ship takes a lot of time,” he said. “So it’s going to take some time to figure out exactly what direction we want to go in and some time to see those shifts start to take place.”

Spotlight on education

The public is invited to a community conversation about the future of Florida public schools on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Tampa Theatre, hosted by the Tampa Bay Times. In the second installment of the Spotlight Tampa Bay series, Times journalists will moderate a discussion by experts, followed by a panel featuring students. Tickets are $20; $10 for students. Proceeds benefit the Times’ Journalism Fund. To purchase tickets, click here.