UNHM’s LaCroix named CLL president

Karol A. LaCroix, dean of UNH-Manchester, has been named president of the College for Lifelong Learning effective Aug. 1.

Karol LaCroix

“Dr. LaCroix is a talented and well recognized academic leader and manager,” USNH Chancellor Stephen Reno said. “UNH-Manchester has grown, prospered, and more importantly, served its students extraordinarily well during her tenure. Her experience in leading a community-based college that especially serves students who are balancing family and work along with their studies is a particularly good fit with the mission and the values of CLL.”

Thanking the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor for the opportunity to serve, LaCroix said she is “pleased and honored to be appointed as the next president of the College for Lifelong Learning.”

“I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students at CLL in continuing the college’s 30-year tradition of serving adult learners,” she said. LaCroix added that her academic background, combined with her administrative experience with adult learners and nontraditional students at the UNH-Manchester campus, will be helpful to her in promoting the unique and important role that CLL plays within the university system.

“I am very proud of the work accomplished at UNH-

Manchester over the past several years, and will miss my colleagues in Manchester, both personally and professionally,” LaCroix said. “I do look forward to working closely with the presidents of Plymouth State University, Keene State College, the University of New Hampshire, and the NH Community Technical Colleges in creating a statewide system of access to public higher education that is of high academic quality and meets the needs of our NH citizens.”

Andrew Lietz, chairman of the USNH Board of Trustees, said “the appointment of Dr. LaCroix is an important and very positive first step. We are putting into action the USNH Board’s recent strategic decisions to more effectively meet the needs of all students statewide. We look forward to seeing CLL benefit from Dr. LaCroix’s expertise and leadership.”

LaCroix has been dean of UNH-Manchester since 1996. Previously, she held a variety of academic and administrative positions at UNH in Durham, including interim dean of the Graduate School, associate dean of the School of Health and Human Services, and chair and professor of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science. LaCroix received her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in biomedical science from Northeastern University in Boston and a M.O.E. in occupational education and a B.S. in medical technology from UNH.

“I am extremely proud of Karol and her many contributions to UNH-Manchester. She has clearly demonstrated her ability to reach the nontraditional student, and the CLL opportunity is perfect for her next professional challenge. Karol will be missed and I know you all join me in wishing her well in her new position,” said UNH President Ann Weaver Hart.

“Karol’s dedicated service and commitment to UNH have been tremendous. Her many skills and talent that have made UNH-Manchester so successful make her an excellent choice for the leadership of CLL. Karol’s many years of contributions to UNH as a faculty member, a department chair, and a dean have been outstanding and we will miss her. I will be announcing the appointment of an interim dean for UNHM in the near future and a national search will be conducted for Karol’s replacement,” said Bruce Mallory, provost and executive vice president.

Established in 1972, the College for Lifelong Learning serves adult learners and geographically place-bound students statewide through a network of nine community-based learning centers. CLL offers a wide variety of courses and programs leading to associates, bachelors and, in partnership with Plymouth State University, masters degrees.