The NJCU Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its regular board meeting July 23 to remove the interim title for Andrés Acebo and officially appoint him as the 13th president of the institution, dating to its founding in 1927.
Acebo has served as interim president since his original appointment on Jan. 17, 2023, leading the university through the most critical period in its 98-year history and overseeing a financial and academic recovery. The son of Cuban exiles, Acebo is the third Hispanic to serve as leader of a four-year public institution in New Jersey and is the youngest-known president to lead a public university in the state.
“President Acebo and his management team have provided exceptional leadership during the most critical period in our university’s history, and while he may have carried an interim title, the transformative work he has accomplished alongside our campus community has been anything but temporary,” said Luke Visconti, chair of the NJCU Board of Trustees.
“Under his leadership, our campus has experienced unprecedented change—he reduced institutional debt by tens of millions of dollars, drove three consecutive semesters of double-digit transfer enrollment growth, secured the first positive financial outlook in NJCU’s history from Moody’s, and established numerous academic and community partnerships that have strengthened our campus connections throughout the region.
“In recognition of these demonstrated results, the Board determined he has earned the permanent title, and his vision has helped secure the future of our campus for generations to come.”
The ratings agencies noticed the improved financial picture. Since taking office during a financial emergency, Acebo’s leadership and actions resulted in Moody’s Ratings upgrading NJCU’s outlook to “stable” from “negative” in February 2024. Fitch Ratings did the same in November 2024. This past May, Moody’s upgraded NJCU’s outlook to “positive” from “stable” — the first time Moody’s has ever assigned a positive outlook to the university.
“Thank you to the NJCU community for carrying me over the last two and a half years.” said Acebo, addressing the audience following the board announcement. “None of this is ever done alone. Nothing meaningful and impactful is ever accomplished alone and I will forever honor and cherish this beautiful and beloved community that is New Jersey City University.”
Under Acebo’s leadership, NJCU was ranked No. 1 in New Jersey and 10th nationally in CollegeNET’s 2023 Social Mobility Index, maintaining its No. 1 state ranking and Top 20 national position in 2024. The university graduated 1,667 students in Spring 2024, an 8.2% increase in bachelor’s degrees from 2023.
Acebo has been widely recognized for his transformational leadership. In May 2024, ROI-NJ named him the No. 1-ranked Influencer in New Jersey.
He has implemented four major strategic initiatives during his tenure: the NJCU Recovery and Revitalization Plan (April 2023), the university’s first Academic Master Plan (February 2024), the institution’s first Strategic Enrollment Plan (April 2024), and the first Student Development and Community Engagement Strategic Plan (December 2024).
Under his leadership, NJCU made the most significant overhaul of its general education curriculum in decades, allowing every course on the approved New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) list, including those without direct equivalencies, to be accepted at NJCU for general education credit.
Acebo has also strengthened community partnerships, including the Hudson Connect Program with Hudson County Community College and similar agreements with Essex County College and Mercer County Community College.
He is also credited with bolstering the university’s relationship with local communities, including enhanced partnerships with Jersey City Public Schools and the creation of the NJCU President’s Community Advisory Council in August 2024.
The campus will plan a formal investiture for President Acebo during the Fall 2025 semester.
