USM Chancellor Names Tom Bowling Interim President

Tom Bowling, vice president for student affairs, will serve as Frostburg State University’s interim president.

Bowling, who has worked for FSU since 1977 and has served as vice president for student affairs since 2007, will step into the interim presidency on July 1, 2015, after FSU’s current president Jonathan Gibralter leaves to become Wells College’s new president.

Brit Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, made the decision to name Bowling interim president. Kirwan said he will soon announce the search and screening committee that will look for FSU’s next president. Following a national search, this committee will forward the names of the top candidates to the Board of Regents, who will make the final decision on FSU’s next president.

“We are all fortunate that Vice President Bowling has accepted this appointment. Since joining the FSU community in 1976, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to enhancing opportunities for students, and has played a critical role in moving the university forward,” Kirwan said in the email.

In a press release, Bowling said, “I am deeply appreciative of the support that I have received from Chancellor Kirwan and his staff, from my colleagues on campus, and from leaders in the community.

“Frostburg State University has been a big part of my life for almost 39 years. I am looking forward to the challenges of this new role, and deepening my service to a university that plays such a key role in Western Maryland and makes such a difference in the lives of our students.”