PennWest University names interim president

James Fisher is PennWest’s former VP for academic affairs and interim provost.

By KELLEN STEPLER
TribLive

Former Pennsylvania Western University administrator James “JD” Fisher will return to the school as interim president.

The State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors on Wednesday named Fisher to the position. His appointment comes less than a month after he left PennWest to become interim vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the state system.

The position became open after Jon Anderson, PennWest’s president since July 2024, announced July 17 he will become president of Utah Valley University. He is leaving PennWest in August.

Cindy Shapira, chair of the Board of Governors, said Anderson helped to put PennWest “on a positive trajectory.” PennWest was formed when California, Clarion and Edinboro universities merged in 2022.

“Today PennWest has greater enrollment stability, accompanied by stronger student recruitment efforts,” Shapira said. “It’s got an updated academic array, a new strategic plan, and it’s made progress on its capital campaign. … Jon has been instrumental in leading students, faculty and staff throughout this work and we’re convinced it’s going to continue into the future. He’s really set it up for success.”

Fisher was most recently PennWest’s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, where he oversaw an academic program review that will take effect this fall.

The array places dozens of academic programs into “moratorium,” meaning they will not accept new students. University officials have said the changes are intended to streamline curriculum, better align programs with regional workforce needs and provide students with more career-focused and flexible learning.

Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Edinboro, a J.D. from William & Mary Law School and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fisher also had served at PennWest as interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Human Services.

He said that PennWest is entering the academic year with “a great deal of positive momentum,” due to administrative leadership, and the hard work and talent of faculty and staff.

“I’m going to do everything I can to honor that collective commitment to PennWest and its surrounding communities,” Fisher said.

Before the integration that created PennWest, Fisher held teaching and leadership positions at Edinboro University, including interim provost and interim associate provost.