SHU welcomes new provost, executive vice president

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Katia Passerini, a nationally recognized knowledge management scholar with extensive higher education experience, began her tenure as the new provost and executive vice president of Seton Hall University. Passerini assumed the provost’s position on June 5, almost a month earlier than her originally scheduled start date of July 1. 

“I am eager to start my tenure at Seton Hall University at such an important time. Our nation is facing many local and global challenges,” Passerini said. “This is exactly when the strong, value-rich foundations of our community — our belief in service and sacrifice for the betterment of society, and our strong faith and tradition — serve as the compass for our decision making as we plan for the reopening and rejoicing, and we build together our way forward.”

As Seton Hall’s chief academic officer, Passerini will oversee and lead university efforts to bring the HyFlex teaching modality to classroom instruction, ensuring in-person, reduced-density learning as well as high-quality remote instruction. She will support the faculty throughout the summer in training efforts and resources to ensure they can continue to deliver educational excellence and Catholic ethical development in a values-centered curriculum.

“I welcome Dr. Passerini to Seton Hall. She is the right person to lead the academy of Seton Hall as we actively plan to welcome students back to campus in August and commence our HyFlex learning model,” SHU President Joseph Nyre said. “Her wide experience, faith and moral compass will prove central in helping lead our university through these unprecedented times. I am confident she will play a major role in advancing the university’s reputation as a premier learning institution while redefining what a Catholic higher education can achieve.” 

Even before the June 5 start, Passerini and Karen Boroff, who has served as interim provost for the past three and a half years, collaborated during the university’s period of strategic and contingency modeling to position the university to respond well for the fall return to campus. 

“Seton Hall University is so fortunate to have such a gifted leader serve as provost,” Boroff said. “In the several weeks of transition, Provost Passerini has steeped herself in learning of the essential Catholic character of Seton Hall University and how that informs strategies and supporting operations. She has boundless energy as she helps us all navigate the return to campus this fall, and for implementing the vision inspired by the university’s strategic plan.” 

Jonathan Farina, who chairs the Faculty Senate and who chaired the search committee for provost and executive vice president, added, “Faculty are really excited to work with Dr. Passerini, who combines the wide-ranging intellectual interests of a scholar and lifelong student with her expertise in management information systems and innovation and with real human understanding and creativity.”

  Seton Hall University