Message from USM Chancellor Jay Perman Announcing the Future of FSU's Leadership

 

To the Frostburg State Community:

 

Last week, I wrote to you after Dr. Nowaczyk announced that he’ll be stepping down from the FSU presidency on January 31. Our thoughts remain with Ron as he focuses on his health. I mentioned in that letter that I’d be back in touch to announce an interim president and a leadership transition plan.

 

Today, I’m pleased to share that Dr. Darlene Brannigan Smith has accepted the interim presidency of Frostburg State as the University System plans a national search for a permanent leader.

 

I’m confident that Dr. Smith’s proven skill in curriculum development, strategic planning, financial management, organizational effectiveness, philanthropy, and community engagement will serve FSU well. Her expansive academic and professional expertise in Business, Finance, and Marketing is, without question, an additional asset—as is her strong global perspective.

 

Dr. Smith is a graduate of Harvard’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Higher Education, Leadership Maryland, and the leadership program of the Greater Baltimore Committee. She’s been named three times to The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland, and—through her work, advocacy, and service—has had an enormous impact on the academy and the region.

 

Dr. Smith had a long career at the University of Baltimore—for four years as executive vice president and provost and, before that, as dean of UBalt’s highly ranked Merrick School of Business. In these roles, Dr. Smith structured departments and degree programs to exploit key university strengths, optimize efficiency, and meet coming opportunities. She significantly grew research resources for faculty—and, as a result, saw a five-year, 120% jump in extramural funding. Under her leadership, fundraising for the Merrick School exceeded campaign goals, and by focusing efforts on proactive and sustained engagement, she substantially grew board and alumni giving.

 

Her priorities around learner success shaped programs that better serve transfer and working adult students, improve persistence among first-year students, and tighten connections between classroom and career, opening up to UBalt learners the city’s network of influential companies, firms, and professionals.

Dr. Smith spearheaded the University of Baltimore’s five-year strategic planning process, engaging faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners in a plan to position UBalt as the region’s premier professional, career-focused university, and to assure the long-term financial stability essential to doing just that. She led the Merrick School through two successful maintenance of accreditation reviews with AACSB, the world’s gold standard for business school accreditation.

 

Given this record of achievement, it should be little wonder that, when the University System needed help, I turned to Dr. Smith. She served as interim associate vice chancellor for academic programs and, later, as special assistant to the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. In these roles, she worked with all 12 of our universities and our three regional centers to develop and review academic programs and to guide comprehensive academic planning. In addition, she took over a longstanding effort across Maryland higher education to smooth transfer pathways for students aspiring to a four-year degree and thereby shorten the time they spend in earning one.

 

During Dr. Smith’s time at the System Office, I got to see first-hand the leadership qualities that drove UBalt’s success. I saw someone with the scholarly background, the professional experience, and the enviable reputation in U.S. higher education to build on FSU’s many assets and restore the university to financial health.

 

Dr. Smith will start in the role on March 10. Until that time, Chief of Staff Al Delia will serve as interim president, and I thank him for his long and dedicated service to FSU. This summer, the University System will launch a nationwide search for a permanent leader, and we expect to have that leader seated by summer 2026.

 

I thank all of you for caring so deeply about Frostburg State, for believing in your own excellence, your own resilience, and your enduring capacity to strengthen the System, the region, and the state. I know you believe, as I do, that Frostburg’s best days are ahead.

 

Sincerely,

Jay A. Perman

Chancellor