Delta State University officially introduced its ninth president on Thursday.
Dr. Daniel J. Ennis comes to Cleveland from Coastal Carolina University, where he most recently served as provost. While Ennis chose not to use the introductory ceremony to lay out any strategy, he did express his excitement for the opportunity.
“This is not the occasion to describe the things that I have been hired to do – to make data-driven decisions, to review policies and tweak procedures, to align resources with strategic goals,” Ennis said. “At a later time, after consultation with so very many stakeholders, I will tackle what is to be done, and explain how we will do it.”
Ennis, who has held a multitude of administrative positions with Coastal Carolina over the last two decades, has helped the South Carolina university with enrollment, retention, and fundraising – three sectors Delta State needs aid in. Since 2014, DSU has seen a 29 percent drop in enrollment, leaving the public university with just 2,556 students.
“Perhaps of late, you have worried over [Delta State] and wondered if the future of the institution is somehow potentially less than its past,” Ennis said. “I am determined to be the leader that Delta State University deserves.”
The entire introductory ceremony can be watched below.
