The Montana Board of Regents Tuesday selected Jeremiah Shinn to be the 20th president of the University of Montana.  Shinn, the interim president of Boise State University, was the only named finalist for the role vacated by Seth Bodnar in February. The Montana Commissioner of Higher Education and a presidential search committee, including the commissioner, a former regent, staff and student leaders, recommended the board hire Shinn following his visit to campus last week.  “As we evaluated candidates, Dr. Shinn consistently rose to the top,” Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian said during the meeting Tuesday. “He aligns closely with the qualities that we identified through that process, brings a depth of academic and administrative experience, and demonstrates a clear and consistent commitment to student success. Just as importantly, I believe he understands and reflects the value, culture and trajectory of this institution.”  Shinn will start July 1, and his initial contract goes through June 30, 2029. He will be paid an annual salary of $467,197, which reflects a 2.5% increase over the current president’s salary included in the state employee pay plan bill passed by the Legislature last year, according to the commissioner’s office. Montana State University President Brock Tessman and Christian will receive the same increase starting in July, said Galen Hollenbaugh, deputy commissioner for government relations and communications.  Shinn will also earn $76,875 annually in deferred compensation that will be paid out when he voluntarily leaves or retires.  Shinn plans to move into the UM president’s house at 1325 Gerald Ave. The university put the house on the market last year for about $2.9 million, but it didn’t sell. Hollenbaugh said Shinn indicated the president’s house was his preferred option rather than a housing stipend. Some updates will be made to the house, Hollenbaugh said. Shinn will also receive a monthly allowance for a vehicle and a phone.  Regent Carter Jasper, a UM student, said during the meeting Tuesday that he had “remarkable” conversations with Shinn and is excited for the university.  “Dr. Shinn is an excellent candidate and will be an excellent leader for the University of Montana,” he said.  Before taking the BSU interim president role last year, Shinn was the university’s vice president of student affairs and enrollment management. He previously held the same position at Louisiana State University from 2019 to 2023, following several years of various positions at Boise State and other universities.  Shinn has a master’s in higher education from the University of Michigan and earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University in 2015. Shinn also attended Harvard’s Institute for Educational Management in 2024. Bodnar, who had been UM president since 2018, announced his resignation in January and filed to run for U.S. Senate as an independent in March. Christian began an expedited search in January for a new president, aided by AGB Search, a subsidiary of the Association of Governing Boards. More than 70 candidates applied, and a group including Christian, UM faculty, a former regent, and staff and student leaders interviewed nine. The post Shinn hired as new University of Montana president  appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less