Minnesota State names next Winona State University president

Interim leader Kenneth Janz will serve as the next president of Winona State University after trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities approved his selection Wednesday.

“Winona State University has a solid foundation and a long history of serving the state of Minnesota. We are a strong institution, and our current successes are just a starting point,” Janz told trustees. “We are going to build a brighter future.”

Winona State University has campuses in Winona and Rochester, which together enroll about 5,500 students. Janz has worked at the university for 16 years and has been serving as its interim president since August, when past leader Scott Olson was promoted to system chancellor.

During his time as interim president, Janz said the university has shown progress on efforts to create an online pathway for general education programs and improve planning for student life programs, and he talked about the future of work.

Before taking on that role, Janz worked as associate vice president for Academic Affairs, chief information officer and dean of the library at Winona State University. He previously worked at Indiana State University and at West Fargo Public Schools. He has multiple degrees in business and education, including a Ph.D. in educational administration.

Olson said 70 people applied for the job, and the search, conducted with assistance from firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates, resulted in three finalists “any of whom could have made a great president.”

Also in the final candidate pool were Mary Bonderoff, acting president of the State University of New York Delhi, and Karim Ismaili, executive vice president and provost of Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts.