President Rosenberg takes helm, kicks off era of student support and community engagement


MIAMI (Aug. 28, 2009) – Florida International University’s fifth president, Mark B. Rosenberg, took the oath of office today, the pinnacle of a journey that has taken him from an assistant professor at a nascent two-year institution on the edge of the Everglades to the presidency of the same institution, now a major public research university serving as an economic and innovation engine for a global and dynamic city.

“Today we begin a new era that speaks to the times we are in,” said Rosenberg to thousands who gathered at the U.S Century Bank Arena, on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus in West Miami-Dade County. “In this new era, we must put our students at the center of who we are, engage our community like never before and reinforce our partnerships with key institutions in South Florida.”

Rosenberg, former chancellor of the State University System of Florida and the first FIU faculty member to ascend to the presidency of the university, spoke of his commitment to learning, innovation and creativity and charted the course for his administration: increase private fundraising, support faculty and staff so that they thrive academically and professionally, and build partnerships with key institutions in the community.

“Today marks a significant milestone in both the history of Florida International University and the great State of Florida with the installation of Mark B. Rosenberg,” said Gov. Charlie Crist in a letter that was read at the ceremony. “As the first FIU faculty member to ascend to the presidency of the university, Mark has the experience and determination to preserve Florida International University’s rich legacy and lead the institution into a new era of excellence.”

Rosenberg also pledged his commitment to tackle what he has identified as the three top challenges facing FIU: access, quality and sustainability.

“I pledge that we will redouble our efforts to ensure that eligible students get as much financial assistance as possible,” said Rosenberg. “Our students graduate into a global labor market. To be competitive, they must be taught and mentored by faculty who lead their respective professions.  They must have access to curricula that looks forward to the worlds ahead. They must have modern laboratories and facilities. We must move more quickly to use technology in this 24/7 world, so that our students can benefit from our teaching, anytime, anywhere.”

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Anthony Rionda, president of the Student Government Association at Modesto A. Maidique Campus, praised Rosenberg’s student-centered approach.

“We are thrilled to have President Rosenberg leading our university,” Rionda said “He has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to education and students that we know will continue during his presidency. Our university is in great hands.”

Rosenberg, who came to FIU as an assistant professor of political science in 1976 and rose to the post of the executive vice-president and provost of the university, also spoke directly to the alumni – more than 100,000 of whom live and work in South Florida – and many of whom are his former students, including U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga, who administered the oath of office.

“We must ensure our alumni are the strongest in the state, that our alumni association functions as a network to place FIU student interns and that it offers a lifelong placement for FIU grads,” said Rosenberg, who also called the alumni FIU’s “secret weapon”.

Rosenberg, the first in his family to earn a college degree, asked the university community to help him continue to turn “the impossible into the inevitable,” to contribute their time, passion and resources to the institution and work alongside of him to help FIU reach its destiny as one of America’s great public universities.

In April, FIU’s Board of Trustees selected Rosenberg to succeed Modesto A. Maidique, who led the university for 23 years. Rosenberg was chosen after a five-month search driven first by a Presidential Search Advisory Committee that was led by FIU Executive Dean of the College of Business Administration Joyce Elam and included the participation of 26 members of the community.

With the assistance of the search firm Greenwood/Asher and Associates, the advisory committee reviewed 34 applicants and interviewed 11.  After interviews with the advisory committee and the FIU Board of Trustees Presidential Search Committee, three finalists were chosen. Ultimately, the full Board of Trustees chose Rosenberg and the Florida Board of Governors ratified the decision.

Rosenberg, a political scientist specializing in Latin America with more than 30 years of higher education experience, is at the reins of one of the nation’s 25 largest universities.

From 2005 to 2008, Rosenberg served as chancellor for the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida, overseeing a system that enrolls more than 300,000 students, employs 10,000 faculty members and operates an $8 billion budget.

As chancellor, Rosenberg led the system’s strategic development, financial planning and policy initiatives, working closely with Gov. Charlie Crist and the state Legislature to secure support for the system’s priorities.

“Dr. Rosenberg has never lost touch with the needs of our community, our students and faculty,” said Thomas Breslin, chairman of the FIU Faculty Senate. “He has been having meetings with the most recently hired and the longest-serving faculty. These have been opportunities for him to talk about how we might work together to improve the institution and make it better for our students and the community.”

Prior to becoming chancellor, Rosenberg was integrally involved in the expansion and development of FIU into a major public research university. In 1979, he founded the FIU Latin American and Caribbean Center, which today is one of the nation’s leading federally-supported research and teaching centers focusing on the region. As provost and executive vice president for academic affairs from 1998 to 2005, Rosenberg spearheaded the establishment of a law school in 2002 and a medical school in 2006. Under his leadership, FIU increased enrollment to 37,000 students, implemented major campus construction projects and was invited to join the select national honor society Phi Beta Kappa. Rosenberg was also instrumental in moving FIU into the top tier of Carnegie Foundation research universities.

Throughout his career, Rosenberg has been active in state economic development issues and committed to community service. He was part of the leadership team of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce for nearly a decade. He presently serves on the Board of Governors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and on the South Florida Commission on the Nursing Shortage. Rosenberg, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Rosenberg is married to his wife of 34 years Rosalie Rosenberg. Both of their children, Benjamin and Ginelle, are FIU students. For a full biography of Rosenberg, please click here.

For a copy of Dr. Rosenberg’s installation speech, please click here.

—FIU—

About FIU:
Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, its 17 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. More than 100,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University”. In August 2009, FIU welcomed the inaugural class of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu.