Dear NJCU Community,
Following the presentations shared at our most recent University Senate and Board of Trustees meetings, we are writing to provide an update on the next steps in the integration of Academic Affairs with Kean University.
Pursuant to the shared services agreement between New Jersey City University and Kean University, effective January 1, 2026, Kean University’s Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs will serve as NJCU’s Chief of Academic Affairs Designee, reporting to the NJCU President. In this role, Dr. David S. Birdsell will provide academic leadership and coordination as we continue the shared work of fully aligning NJCU’s academic functions, policies, and practices within the Kean University system in a deliberate and orderly manner.
Dr. Birdsell’s designation is intended to ensure alignment, continuity, and clarity as we move through this next phase of integration, working closely with NJCU leadership and Kean colleagues through established university governance structures to support academic quality, compliance, and student success within a new unified and fully integrated University system.
We thank Dr. Donna Adair for her service as Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. During her tenure, NJCU advanced several important academic priorities, including progress on institutional planning and enrollment strategy, the restructuring of Academic Affairs, and the redesign of the General Education curriculum to better support transfer students, adult learners, and degree completion.
Following the completion of her sabbatical, Dr. Adair will return to the faculty, where she is expected to contribute to the unified and fully integrated University system through her teaching, scholarship, and service.
We remain committed to keeping faculty and staff informed as the integration process advances and as we take these next steps together.
Andrés Acebo
President
New Jersey City University
