KSC Interim President Donald Birx will now remain in his role until June 2027. His tenure has been extended a full year, instead of ending in June of 2026 as initially intended.
While The Equinox recognizes there are difficulties in finding a long-term president for Keene State, having a dual-institution president has left us feeling neglected. It is clear that this system is not working, and it is unfortunate that this seems to be our only solution for the time being.
Each separate institution needs an individual and dedicated president to maintain its unique identity and competitive edge. The actions we are seeing take place, unfortunately, do not dissuade fears of a potential merger, as has been downplayed by leaders in the past, leading us to question the future of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) framework as a whole.
Birx seems enthusiastic about the future of KSC, saying, “I want to do whatever I can do to make sure Keene [State] is all that it can be,” according to an article in this week’s edition of The Equinox.
However, we feel that this is not reflected in his actions. Going back and forth between two schools that are two hours away from each other is not easy, and KSC students deserve the opportunity to get to know their president.
It is frustrating to have a president who is rarely on campus. It sends a poor message to students looking to enroll at KSC.
Birx mentioned the Keene State leadership team will be presenting a five-year plan in June at the Board of Trustees meeting, along with Plymouth State and the University of New Hampshire. While the exact plans haven’t yet been unveiled, Birx expressed excitement for future opportunities and the proposed three-school plan to take place at KSC. The Equinox has previously voiced our concern for this plan, though we do appreciate Birx’s commitment to our liberal arts identity.
“The uniqueness of Keene State is that it has the liberal arts skills and capabilities that the best liberal arts schools have, but it also has the best applied programs that most liberal arts schools don’t have,” Birx said, according to NHPR.
With the budget cuts, faculty separations and state legislation experienced over the last year–not to mention the departure of former president Melinda Treadwell–the overall campus morale has shifted. These challenges that the school has faced are why we need a strong and passionate leader who can advocate for Keene State to the legislators. We need more positivity on campus and less uncertainty.
The Hale Building, which houses the offices of the college president and other principal administrators, according to the KSC website, is now locked and largely vacant. The building stands as a haunting reminder of a drab campus environment.
We find the lack of communication from the college regarding Birx’s tenure being extended is frustrating.
Both institutions are having to bite off more than they can chew since the state’s budget cuts to USNH, and transparency often gets forgotten on the plate. Whether or not this is intentional, there are simply not enough people to ensure everyone is always kept in the loop.
It is important to mention that both KSC and PSU have commencement on the same day this year, and Birx will attend the ceremony at Plymouth. The lack of a president at the 2026 commencement ceremony for KSC is beyond unsatisfactory and leaves graduating students disappointed.
It is our hope that Birx will meet the students halfway. The KSC community deserves to feel like they have a leader who prioritizes and supports them.
