Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Welcomes New President

Appointment welcomes Richard Guarasci, President of Wagner College as new CUMU President

The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities welcomes Richard Guarasci, President of Wagner College and former Vice President of the Coalition, as the organization’s newest president.

Dr. Guarasci is the 18th President of Wagner College, where he was previously the Provost and Senior Vice President. He holds the rank of Professor of Political Science and he teaches in the areas of democracy, citizenship and American diversity. At Wagner, Dr. Guarasci founded the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, the four-year curriculum for all undergraduates that draws together a substantive liberal arts core into a series of learning communities and experiential learning tutorials.

“CUMU is poised to advance urban and metropolitan universities and colleges at a critical moment in the history of American higher education. CUMU is heightening our commitment to enhancing deep learning for our students and true partnerships for our neighborhoods and urban communities, particularly in the areas of K-12 college readiness, economic development and health disparities. Our civic and research efforts are aligned with the urban and metropolitan challenges of our time,” says Dr. Guarasci.

Outgoing Coalition President Dr. Wendell Pritchett has stepped down from his post as Chancellor of Rutgers University – Camden to return to University of Pennsylvania Law School as a professor of law. Starting July 1st, Dr. Pritchett will also serve as the Interim Dean of Penn Law School. Dr. Pritchett says, “Richard has been a leader in the field of university-community partnerships for decades, and he played a major role in the development of CUMU’s action plan over the past two years. CUMU will be in excellent hands under his direction.”

Dr. Guarasci has served as a member of the Executive Board since 2011, first as a member-at-large and then as vice president. Wagner College first joined the Coalition in 2010.