Central State University picks longtime educational leader as interim president

Mark Williams, The Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
Alex Johnson, a longtime educator and former president of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, as interim president of Central State University to replace resigning President Jack Thomas.
Alex Johnson, a longtime educator and former president of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, as interim president of Central State University to replace resigning President Jack Thomas.

Central State University has picked a longtime educational leader as its interim president following the resignation of Jack Thomas whose tenure at the university has been marked by controversy, including allegations of discriminating against female staff.

Alex Johnson, most recently the president of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, has been chosen as interim president effective July 1, the university said Wednesday. He will serve for one year while Central State trustees seek a permanent replacement.

“Dr. Johnson is a proven leader in higher education and an expert in institutional transformation,” Central State board of trustees chair Jacqueline Gamblin said in a statement. “He has a passion for transformation and excellence in higher education. He’s the right person to lead us through this time of transition, and we look forward to his leadership as we search for a permanent president.”

Johnson has nearly 30 years of experience as a college president. Most recently, he spent nine years leading Cuyahoga Community College, serving from 2013 through 2022. He focused on strengthening the institution’s longstanding mission to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities and services.

Johnson also has served as president of the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh.

He replaces Thomas, who did not seek renewal of his contract and will step down when his current contract expires on June 30.

Thomas came to Central State, Ohio's only public historically Black university, in July 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 campus shutdowns.

Jack Thomas, outgoing president of Central State University, during an interview with The Dispatch on Jan. 18 in the Board of Trustees conference room.
Jack Thomas, outgoing president of Central State University, during an interview with The Dispatch on Jan. 18 in the Board of Trustees conference room.

Thomas was under investigation earlier this year for a complaint filed against him by five female employees with Central State's Board of Trustees. In the complaint, the women claimed Thomas caused them mental, emotional and financial stress, "effectively killing the careers" of each of them.

In January, Central State stepped away from a partnership with a controversial free online college program that brought in thousands of online students but was criticized by the U.S. Department of Education, according to The Dayton Daily News.

Before coming to Central State, he was president of Western Illinois University where he faced backlash over his handling of the top job, including issues of infighting, racial hostility, declining enrollment and the departure of senior administration officials, The State Journal-Register, a Gannett sister paper of The Dispatch, reported when he resigned in 2019.

Thomas has told the university that he plans to remain on the faculty as a tenured professor after a sabbatical.

Thomas said he made that decision to step away “having accomplished what I set out to do as president.” That includes boosting enrollment, launching a new strategic plan and a $75-million campus expansion to construct seven new buildings, he said.

mawilliams@dispatch.com

@BizMarkWilliams

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central State University picks Alex Johnson as interim president