Dr. John Hoffman was presented as the president-designate of Northwest Technical College and Bemidji State University at a March 17 meet-and-greet on campus. Nearly 60 faculty, staff, students, administrators and members of the Bemidji community attended the event.
Minnesota State system of colleges and universities Chancellor Devinder Malhotra and Hoffman were introduced by President Faith C. Hensrud, who announced in August 2021 that she would retire this summer after a six-year tenure as BSU/NTC president.
“We are writing the next chapter in the history of Northwest Technical College and the Bemidji State University,” she said. “Our mission is to engage, support and prepare students for rewarding careers in innovative programs and hands on learning. As we meet that mission, we also serve the diverse workforce needs of our region and the state of Minnesota.”
Hoffman was recommended to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees by Malhotra this week. The board approved that recommendation on March 16 by unanimous vote.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to welcome Dr. John Hoffman,” Malhotra said. “As we did our new diligence, a couple of themes kept emerging about John. One was that wherever he went, he hit the ground listening. He’s an empathetic, transparent leader who doesn’t shy away from challenges or from making tough decisions. He leads by his heart and has a very strong spine.”
During the March 16 meeting with the Board of Trustees, Malhotra said Hoffman is an accomplished and strategic leader, who understands that building an empowering ethos for faculty and staff is critical for both institutions.
“Personally and professionally, Dr. Hoffman is strongly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and fully understands Equity 2030 as a unifying framework and organizing principal of student success,” Malhotra said. “He exhibits through his work great leadership traits and has prepared himself well through both experience and expertise to assume the presidency of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College.”
Hoffman has served as the vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Minnesota Crookston since 2018, and he also assumed duties as acting senior vice chancellor in 2021. His responsibilities have spanned all of academics, student affairs, and enrollment management.
“I pledge to do everything in my power to position you to do your best work to realize the mission of Northwest Tech,” he said. “The work that you do is inspiring.”
Hoffman’s signature career accomplishments have included implementing multi-faceted student success programs credited with increasing student success and retention rates, reducing the first-year retention rate disparities between Black and Indigenous students, and students of color and their white counterparts, and increasing performance on two-thirds of core learning outcomes for all students during their first year of college. During his remarks to campus, Hoffman emphasized his intention supporting underrepresented students and continuing the college’s work in equity, inclusion and justice.
“I am particularly inspired and drawn to this place because of the work that you’re doing with Indigenous students, the native nations of Minnesota and the tribal colleges in the region. This work offers an opportunity to put this institution and city on the map at a national scale. There is always an opportunity for us to learn from each other. I look forward to the opportunity to work with and for you.”
More About Hoffman
Hoffman’s other career accomplishments include overhauling enrollment management functions which, pre-COVID, increased new student enrollment, increased yield, reduced summer melt, and increased proportions of students of color, low-income students, and first-generation students. This past year, he co-authored the University of Minnesota system-wide strategic enrollment management plan. He also led UMN Crookston aspects of system-wide plans addressing COVID-19 response and related educational initiatives.
Previously, he held faculty and a variety of administrative positions within the California State University between 2004 and 2018 including chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and director of the Doctor of Educational Leadership Program. Over 10 years at Cal State Fullerton, he earned tenure and advancement to full professor, and his leadership contributed to significant diversification of the faculty, significant enrollment growth including increases in the racial and ethnic diversity of students, and enhanced graduation rates with no measurable achievement gaps by race or gender.
Prior appointments include service as dean of students at Concordia University, Irvine from 1998 to 2004, multiple student affairs roles at Concordia University, St. Paul from 1995 to 1998, and a year of service as a major gifts officer at Concordia University, Nebraska from 1994 to 1995. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University, Nebraska, and a master’s and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota.
Additional information on John Hoffman
- 300dpi photo (JPEG)
- Curriculum vitae
- Hoffman Remarks to Minnesota State Board of Trustees, March 16, 2022
- Hoffmans Remarks to Campus, March 17, 2022
