Board Votes to Appoint Dr. Gregory W. Gray as New President
The Board of Regents for Higher Education voted today to appoint Dr. Gregory W. Gray to be the next President of the Board of Regents, which governs the 17 Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (ConnSCU).
The Board of Regents for Higher Education voted today to appoint Dr. Gregory W. Gray to be the next President of the Board of Regents, which governs the 17 Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (ConnSCU), which includes 12 community colleges, four state universities and Charter Oak State College, the state’s only public, online institution. Dr. Gray is currently the chancellor of the Riverside Community College District, which includes three community colleges, more than 2,000 employees, and an annual credit enrollment that surpasses 100,000. Dr. Gray will officially begin his tenure as president on July 1, and will visit Connecticut over the spring and summer.
“I’m pleased that the Board of Regents has agreed that Dr. Gray would make a fine leader for our system, and I’m eager to continue getting to know him and begin working closely with him on the challenges and opportunities that lie before us,” said Lewis J. Robinson, Chairman of the Board of Regents and Chairman of the Regents’ Search Committee. “I have no doubt that Dr. Gray will be the forward looking, strategic thinking, creative leader that we need as the head of our system, and I know he will focus squarely on preparing our students to become informed and productive members of Connecticut’s citizenry and its workforce.”
"I want to thank the Board of Regents for the trust they've placed in me to lead this outstanding higher education system,” said Gray. “I've mentioned before how impressed I was by the individuals I met here and the obvious love and pride they feel for the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities. It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a part of such an environment. I look forward to many years of working with the Board, my new colleagues and our communities. Together, we can expand what I see as a very rich tradition of academic excellence and success, and cement our institutions' reputations as being world-class."While searching for a new president, the Regents’ Search Committee was particularly mindful of selecting a candidate with stellar academic credentials and experience, while increasing transparency and accountability on behalf of state taxpayers. Dr. Gray’s employment contract approved today by the Board of Regents includes:
- An annual salary of $380,000
- The use of a state vehicle
- The standard package of benefits available to state employees
Dr. Gray would also receive $25,000 for moving and temporary housing expenses related to his family’s move from California to Connecticut. This money will be reimbursed to Dr. Gray after providing receipts for qualifying expenses. The term of his employment will be three years and the Board of Regents will review Dr. Gray’s performance annually, without contractually stipulated financial incentives.
The Regents’ Search Committee was assisted in this search by the Systemwide Advisory Committee, which included students, faculty, staff, union representatives, and representation from the business and industry community. The Systemwide Advisory Committee provided valuable input and suggestions to the Regents’ Search Committee regarding the selection of a new president.
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