Posted: October 19, 2022
Contact: Doug Anderson, doug.anderson@MinnState.edu, 651-201-1426
“Serving as Chancellor of Minnesota State over the past six years has been a singular honor and the greatest privilege of my professional life,” said Malhotra. “I continue to be humbled and inspired by the grit, determination and resilience of our students, who often must overcome many challenges to persist and complete their educational journey. It is exhilarating to have unwavering support from the Board of Trustees, and to work alongside 14,000 committed faculty and staff who provide exceptional stewardship for the educational experience of our students, and for the communities our colleges and universities serve.”
Malhotra made it clear that his work is not yet finished. “There is work to do in the coming year to deliver on our commitments to our students and to our great state,” Malhotra said.
Malhotra has served either as chancellor or interim chancellor of Minnesota State since 2017. During that time, the system of 26 colleges and seven universities has advanced its strategic priorities towards building a systemwide identity and leveraging the advantages that come from its scale and scope as the third-largest higher education system in the country.
Under his leadership, Minnesota State launched Equity 2030, a key strategic initiative that set a critical goal of eliminating educational equity gaps, including by race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and first-generation status at every Minnesota State college and university by the year 2030. This work is currently underway and has received broad support throughout the system including presidents, bargaining units, faculty, staff, and students.
“Eliminating educational equity gaps is not only a moral imperative,” said Malhotra, “it is also imperative for the vibrancy of Minnesota’s economy, as well as an imperative for meeting Minnesota’s workforce needs.”
Chancellor Malhotra also led the system through the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota State met the outbreak head-on and was able to complete the 2020 Spring semester using alternative modes of delivery for more than 95% of course sections. Since then, Minnesota State has continued its service both on campus and online to students without any significant outbreaks on its campuses, and has awarded 80,171 degrees, certificates, and diplomas.
“Under Chancellor Malhotra's leadership, Minnesota State has navigated tremendous challenges,” said Roger Moe, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. “The system has emerged stronger and more committed than ever to providing an opportunity for all Minnesotans to create a better future for themselves, for their families, and for their communities. His service has been nothing short of exemplary, and on behalf of the board, we are grateful for his service.”
Malhotra is recognized as both a regional and a national leader in higher education through his service as acting chair of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and chair of the National Association for System Heads (NASH).
Previous roles within the Minnesota State system include serving Metropolitan State University as interim president from 2014 to 2016, and St. Cloud State University as provost and vice president of academic affairs from 2009 to 2014. He also served the University of Southern Maine and the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Akron.
Information on the search for the next chancellor will be announced in the coming months.
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Minnesota State includes 26 community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 300,000 students. It is the third-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.