FIU’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a one-year extension to President Mark B. Rosenberg’s contract.

–By Madeline Baro for FIU News

The FIU Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved a one-year extension to President Mark B. Rosenberg’s contract.

The extension follows a “superior” rating for Rosenberg’s accomplishments and leadership during the 2019-2020 academic year, determined at a previous meeting. The Florida Board of Governors, which is expected to consider the contract for approval at its June meeting, limits contract extensions for sitting university presidents to one year. The extension runs through 2023.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, President Rosenberg’s leadership put our university at the forefront of responding to this international crisis, helping to keep our students on track, contributing to our community and engaging in solution-focused research,” said Board of Trustee Chairman Dean C. Colson. “We are proud that he will continue at the helm of FIU.”

Colson added that the $40 million gift by MacKenzie Scott announced this week and FIU’s scores in the Board of Governor’s performance funding metrics are additional evidence that FIU is on a path of success under Rosenberg’s leadership.

By giving Rosenberg a “superior” rating during the April 2021 meeting, board members agreed Rosenberg exceeded performance expectations on a consistent and uniform basis and made a unique or significant contribution well beyond performance expectations through remarkable achievement and a pacesetting performance.

Among Rosenberg’s accomplishments over a one-year period:

• FIU’s four-year graduation rate for full time students increased to the highest rate in the history of the university at 49 percent.
• Percent of graduates with bachelor’s degrees employed and/or continuing their education one year after graduation increased to more than 72 percent.
• Median wages of graduates with bachelor’s degrees employed full-time one year after graduation also increased by $1,200.
• The average cost to students per undergraduate degree decreased by more than $4,000.
• The number of Pell grant undergraduate students enrolled during fall 2020 increased to nearly 60 percent.   
• The number of post-doctoral appointees increased from 242 to 260.

“I am humbled by the trust and support extended to me, once again, by our Board of Trustees, and grateful to be given the opportunity to continue our work at FIU to ensure the success of all students,” Rosenberg said. “I am grateful to our purpose-driven team for their passion for student success. Despite the many challenges of the last year, our Panther family persevered and made great strides to position our university as an engine that drives our community. There’s still much more to do, and I am excited to continue engaging with our dedicated faculty, staff and students as we strive for greater success.”