Avaltroni Named Ninth President of FDU

On Apr 26, 2023

The Fairleigh Dickinson University Board of Trustees has appointed long-time FDU faculty member and administrator Michael J. Avaltroni as the ninth president in the institution’s history, effective immediately. Dr. Avaltroni had been serving as interim president since January 1.

“Dr. Avaltroni continues to impress the Board of Trustees and the entire University community,” said Board Chair Robert J. Zatta. “Since becoming interim president — and actually far before that in his previous roles — Dr. Avaltroni has made a significant impact and inspired many with his intelligence, passion, empathy and his unrelenting drive and determination to help this institution excel and to provide the support and the education our students need to make their dreams come true. I can think of no better individual to lead the next chapter in the University’s storied history.”

According to Avaltroni, “Since I have taken the role of interim president in January, I have gained an even deeper admiration for the FDU community and in particular our very determined and talented students, faculty and staff. I am deeply honored to be appointed president and I promise to devote everything I have to the advancement and success of this extraordinary institution. FDU has provided incredible opportunities for students from all walks of life for 80 years now and I am certain the best is still to come.”

Dr. Avaltroni has a strong personal connection with the institution and has forged a deep passion for FDU, first as an undergraduate and later as a faculty member and administrator. He graduated in 1999 with a B.S. in chemistry, summa cum laude. He is the first FDU graduate to serve as the institution’s president.

As interim president, he led many important early initiatives and held a series of town halls, listening sessions and other campus events to engage community members and gain insights from students, faculty and staff on issues facing the University and potential actions to strengthen the University.

After graduating from FDU, Dr. Avaltroni completed an M.A. in chemistry in 2001 and a Ph.D. in chemistry in 2003, both from Princeton University. He joined FDU in 2003, serving as a faculty member and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences; he was instrumental in the process of creating the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Dr. Avaltroni took over as interim dean in 2012 and was appointed permanently to the position of dean in 2013.

Dr. Avaltroni transitioned to the position of provost and senior vice president for academic affairs in January 2022. As provost, he led the academic affairs subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Advisory Council; laid the groundwork for new community college partnerships; presided over the development of the Hispanic Center, coordinated the formation of a new academic leadership team, and created the Transformational Excellence Awards to honor faculty and staff who have gone beyond the ordinary to serve FDU students.

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