The embattled president of Commonwealth University will step down July 31, he announced Tuesday.
In February, faculty overwhelmingly expressed a lack of confidence in Bashar Hanna. The no-confidence vote followed last summer's $3.9 million federal jury verdict handed down against Hanna, the university and other officials in a whistleblower case.
Hanna will become vice chancellor for strategic initiatives for Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education.
In his message to the university community, Hanna expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as Commonwealth’s first president and shared his excitement about continuing to support public higher education across the state.
"This new opportunity is both humbling and exciting — a chance to bring the lessons we've learned together at Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield to a broader stage," Hanna said in his announcement. "It's an opportunity to help shape the future of higher education across the commonwealth, advancing innovation, sustainability and above all, student success."
After the no-confidence vote in February, the university’s council of trustees continued to support Hanna. On Tuesday, Chair John Wetzel praised Hanna's leadership and lasting contributions to the university.
“We wish him luck in his new position and look forward to his continued partnership as we continue to make Commonwealth University the regionally relevant academy Pennsylvania needs," Wetzel said in a statement.
Hanna became president of Bloomsburg University in 2017. When Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield universities merged in 2022, he became the first president of the newly formed Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. Under Hanna’s leadership, the Bloomsburg University Foundation's endowment nearly doubled to $90 million, the Mansfield University Mountaineer Foundation was launched, and the university raised $88 million toward its ongoing multi-year $100 million comprehensive campaign goal, according to the school.
Wetzel credited Hanna with overseeing the merger and for his focus on first-generation students, those eligible for federal student loans and underrepresented minority students. The university saw both expanded access and improved retention under Hanna’s leadership, Wetzel said.
Calls for Hanna to resign came after former Bloomsburg University dean Jeffrey Krug won a $3.9 million federal jury verdict in August over claims he faced retaliation and was fired for helping an administrative assistant file a sexual harassment report against Hanna in 2017.
Krug sued Bloomsburg University, Hanna, university Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs James Krause and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Krug claimed he was subjected to false rumors of infidelity, a retaliatory investigation, denials of business travel and expense reimbursement and, ultimately, termination.
Jurors found Bloomsburg University, the State System, Hanna and Krause all guilty of retaliating against Krug in violation of Title IX, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law.
The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties in February polled its members as well as non-member faculty and coaches at the Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield campuses. Nearly 90% of respondents expressed a lack of confidence in Hanna.
“We believe that President Hanna needed to step down from his office, and we want the university to move forward — doing what is in the best interest of the students, faculty, coaches, and staff,” the association's president, Kenneth M. Mash, said in a statement Tuesday.
