By Ty Quirk
On April 29, 2025, the Western New England community was flipped upside down when President Robert E. Johnson announced he would be stepping down as president of the university at the beginning of August. Now, while the news seemed to be relatively positive among the University community, the administration was still left to find someone who could fill in the position. The administration and the Board of Trustees acted quickly to find an interim president, appointing Michael Alexander to fill the position for the 2025 – 26 academic year and drew up plans to search for a permanent successor.
On July 28, 2025, the Board of Trustees announced that a Presidential Search Committee had been formed. This committee would be partnering with the executive recruiting firm WittKieffer to ensure that the incoming president would reflect the priorities and serve the needs of the Western New England community. The committee consisted of students, faculty, staff, and trustees. Over the course of the fall, the committee reviewed more than 150 applications. The committee narrowed that applicant pool to three finalists, who were invited to campus for a final interview in December. Then the committee made its choice unanimously nominating Dr. Joseph C. Hartman to be offered the position.
On January 7, 2026, the Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Hartman as the seventh president of Western New England, effective June 1, 2026. Dr. Hartman currently serves as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he has led academic affairs since 2019. According to Camden Kaufman, President of the Student Senate, Hartman seemed particularly open to listening to students, saying he “came across as personable and someone who values connecting with individuals. Especially when it came to the students.” said Kaufman. “He has already been around campus this year before he has formally started his role which I think reaffirms the evaluation.”
Dr. Hartman has also been the Dean of the Francis College of Engineering at UMass Lowell, where he has overseen over 4,000 students at one time. He and his wife, Karen, are excited to move to Springfield for this new adventure. “I am honored and excited to join Western New England University as its next president,” says Dr. Hartman. “I am eager to work with the trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to build on the University’s strong foundation and shape its future success.”
Given the many challenges facing the university – managing a turbulent political economic environment, continuing to resist the pressures that have led to declining enrollment at the other institutions of higher education nationwide, and maintaining high academic standards – Dr. Hartman will have ample opportunity to leave a significant mark on Western New England University.
