Gates Foundation director to lead Pennsylvania universities

A director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was chosen Monday to be the new chancellor of Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities, which have struggled with state aid cuts and to recruit students to its rural campuses.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education announced Daniel Greenstein will assume leadership of the system on Sept. 4. His salary will be $380,000.

Greenstein, 57, has worked with the Gates Foundation for the past six years and was previously a top administrator in the University of California system.

He said the state system's efforts to redesign itself has pushed itself "to the forefront of innovation nationally."

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Greenstein has the knowledge and expertise to help revamp the system.

"Dr. Greenstein will focus the efforts of all involved in the state system on student success while creating a sustainable financial path forward for our 14 universities," Wolf said.

Greenstein hold bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in social studies from Oxford University.

He succeeds Frank Brogan, who has been nominated to be assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education.

The state system, which enrolls more than 100,000 degree-seeking students, includes Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester universities.