Richard Plumb, former president of Saint Mary’s College of California, will take over as president of Saint Michael’s College in Colchester in January.
In a press release Monday, the school announced that its board of trustees had selected Plumb from a pool of more than 90 applicants to be 18th president of the Roman Catholic college, which was founded in 1904 by the Society of St. Edmund.
Plumb will take office in January, replacing Lewis Thayne, who has been serving in an interim capacity since Lorraine Sterritt retired in June.
“Saint Michal’s prepares students to become catalysts for positive transformation on both local and global scales,” Plumb said in the press release. “I am looking forward to working closely with the Edmundites, Board, faculty, staff, and students on innovative ideas and initiatives that will provide the foundation for the College to thrive far into the future.”
Plumb holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Syracuse University and has worked in higher education for over 30 years, according to the press release. He has held both academic and administrative roles at several universities across the country, including a seven-year stint as executive vice president and provost at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Most recently, Plumb was president and chief executive officer of Saint Mary’s College of California from 2021 to 2023.
A March press release from Saint Mary’s, announcing Plumb’s departure, noted that the school recorded an increase in applications during his tenure and was on track to reach its fundraising goals at the time he left.
That bodes well for Saint Michael’s, which has been beset by steadily declining enrollment and financial troubles in recent years.
According to the Saint Michael’s campus newspaper, The Defender, enrollment dropped from 2,064 students during the 2014-15 school year to around 1,400 in 2022-23. It has remained at that number during this academic year.
The bond rating firm Moody’s downgraded the college’s credit rating last winter, citing enrollment troubles and the institution’s $43 million in debt at the time, according to Seven Days. Moody’s also downgraded the college’s financial outlook to “negative.”
In Monday’s press release, Patricia Casey, chair of the board of trustees, expressed confidence in Plumb’s ability to steer Saint Michael’s in the right direction.
“Richard’s skills and expertise stood out and are well aligned with the challenges and opportunities before us,” Casey said. “His disciplined and thoughtful approach to innovation along with this inclination towards timely action and deep appreciation for the college’s mission will serve us well.”
Plumb and Casey could not be reached for further comment.
The school plans a community introduction for Plumb in mid-November.
