With a new academic year rolling in, the question of who will become the next president of Keene State is back at the forefront. The Equinox believes that the next-in-line should embrace the liberal arts campus and its students, rather than setting it on the back-burner.
Following former President Melinda Treadwell’s departure in Fall of 2025, Plymouth State President Don Birx served as interim president at KSC until he became the official president this past July. On June 29, an official search for a new Keene State president was announced, leaving us with a series of questions about the new leadership and their plans for the college.
We feel that with Birx being president of both Keene State and Plymouth State (PSU), his attention is being divided unfairly. He did not appear at KSC’s Commencement in the Spring but attended PSU’s, and his appearances on our campus are few and far between, all while still pushing for a Keene State rebrand, as mentioned in a previous Equinox article.
The news of the search for a new president is overall positive, as it means we will no longer be fearing the cold shoulder of a leader with his attention split between two campuses, but the news should still be accepted cautiously. The Equinox believes that the next president should be the voice of the students, not the university system administrators. We expect the previously paved road at Keene State to be kept in mind, but the next person to run it should find ways to help the campus properly flourish under the circumstances, not just survive them.
In that same vein, we hope to truly see and feel the presence of the next president. We have been disappointed by the fact that Birx is very rarely seen on our campus and by the lack of availability he seems to have for the commitments we have on our campus. We expect that the next KSC president will walk down Appian Way, attempt to form connections with students and truly integrate themselves into the community we share. We want someone who won’t conform to the state without at least trying to fight for their students and staff first; someone who will advocate for the college and put their foot down when need be.
The Equinox believes that Melinda Treadwell was someone who embodied an authentic president for Keene State, part of the reason being that she was an alum. Having a personal connection to the campus can greatly impact the decisions a leader makes for their community, and we feel that because alumni know exactly what it was like to be a student here, it would also mean that they understand the type of guidance and authority we need. It is not a dealbreaker, but it would certainly settle some nerves about how much we can truly trust the person to take the spot of Treadwell.
With that being said, though, we also believe it’s important to remember that we aren’t looking for a new Treadwell. Keene State is not trying to find an exact copy of a former president, it is trying to find someone who prioritizes and respects the arts programs that our school has to offer and doesn’t unintentionally disregard its importance in society, and someone who publicly and loudly shows that they care about their community.
As the presidential search continues throughout the months, we expect to see candidates that wholeheartedly stand for and support Keene State and its student organizations, and are ready to prove that they are the right fit for us. It is no easy task, but the greatest things we have are the ones we work the hardest for.
