Michael D. Redmond, Ph.D., and Anthony Ross, Ed.D.

PARAMUS, N.J. – With the Dec. 31 retirement of Bergen Community College President Michael D. Redmond, Ph.D., approaching, the institution’s board of trustees has announced it will conduct a national search for the institution’s eighth president in the coming months and has named Anthony Ross, Ed.D., the College’s interim president effective Jan. 1, 2020. Ross has served as the College’s interim vice president of student affairs since September.

“President Redmond has made an indelible impact on Bergen Community College for nearly 40 years,” Board of Trustees Chair Gerard L. Carroll said. “His work as an administrator, faculty member and, now, president has made a profound difference on the institution and in the lives of students, faculty and staff. On behalf of the board of trustees, I thank him for leadership and service to the College.”

President Redmond led Bergen through a period of renewal and stabilization, initiating significant reform, including a reorganization of the executive team and academic and administrative units, and working to stabilize the institution’s finances, human resources and the Bergen Community College Foundation. President Redmond also sought to strengthen relationships with government officials, donors and community members, frequently inviting these groups to campus and increasing the level of communication with them. Additionally, and with Ellucian as a partner, Bergen has reimagined its approach to technology, creating a more user-focused, stable environment for students, faculty and staff.

“Bergen has given me a great life,” he said. “I’m honored to retire as president and proud of what we have accomplished together.”

A former NISOD Excellence Award honoree, President Redmond served the institution in numerous roles since 1981. During his 38-year career, which began as a philosophy and religion professor, he provided leadership as executive vice president, chief information officer and dean of arts and humanities. President Redmond has led the College as its chief administrator since June 2017.

In preparation of the College’s national search for its eighth president, the board of trustees has developed a process that will organize the proceedings, along with a profile outlining the qualifications sought of Bergen’s next executive leader. The process will feature a search committee comprised of trustees, faculty, staff, students and community members that will lead the vetting, interview and selection of candidates.

“As an institution selected as an Aspen Institute College Excellence Program nominee, home to a former U.S. Professor of the Year and the number one college for associate degree graduates in New Jersey, Bergen remains one of the nation’s most attractive presidencies,” Chair Carroll said. “We look forward to meeting the diverse pool of visionary leaders who apply for the position.”

The trustees approved a resolution naming Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Ross as Bergen’s president beginning Jan. 1, 2020 through the completion of the national search at the governing panel’s Dec. 3 regular meeting.

“Bergen has reimagined itself under President Redmond,” he said. “I am excited to have the opportunity to continue this transformative work and maintain the momentum established in the last few years as the College prepares to hire its eighth president.”

Ross brings experience as an interim president to Bergen, previously holding the same role at Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley in Kansas City, Missouri for more than a year. Prior to that appointment, Ross served as the vice president for student affairs at California State University – Los Angeles, where he worked since 2000 in various capacities including as an associate professor in the Charter College of Education. Ross also held leadership roles at Edison Schools, Wichita State University, Northern Arizona University and St. Lawrence University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s in counseling from St. Lawrence and a doctorate in educational administration and leadership from Northern Arizona.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.

# # #