Robert V. Antonucci
President, Fitchburg State College
Dr. Robert V. Antonucci has been president of Fitchburg State College since June of 2003.
In the four years since he returned to his home region of North Central Massachusetts, he has developed a reputation for leadership, both on campus and in the community. In addition to fulfilling his duties at the college, he speaks at civic events, serves on boards, meets with officials, works to revitalize the region, and promotes public schools and colleges. A new chapter of the Boys and Girls Club was provided with space on campus, and President Antonucci was instrumental in establishing the Central Massachusetts Public Higher Education Alliance, a collaborative effort with sister colleges.
A 35-year veteran of education, President Antonucci served as the Commonwealth's commissioner of education from 1992 to 1998. He played a key role in the passage and enactment of the state's historic Education Reform Act of 1993, a landmark law now seen as a national model. Managing a staff of 470 and a budget of $3.4 billion, he fundamentally reformed the state's education finance system, school governance, curriculum development and charter schools.
He has continued that record of success at Fitchburg State, overseeing the drafting of a new strategic plan and completing a host of capital projects, including the complete renovation of Holmes Dining Commons and conversion of the college's aging outdoor athletic facilities into a new stadium with a state-of-the-art turf field. In addition, he has overseen construction of a new Faculty Teaching Center in the library, and an ambitious series of technology initiatives, including establishment of a "wireless" campus, a total upgrade of the college's computer laboratories, and the creation of dozens of new "mediated" classrooms that allow faculty access to the latest technology.
President Antonucci has also strengthened the college's commitment to the city of Fitchburg. The multi-year effort to create an attractive boulevard connecting the college with Main Street has been accelerated with the purchase of several distressed properties on North Street and plans to complete the final phase of streetscaping. At the city's request, the college has also taken over operation of the Wallace Civic Center, with plans to renovate the aging structure’s ice rinks and planetarium. In an effort to provide additional academic space, Antonucci has worked with the college’s foundation to purchase an off-campus building that now houses many of the college's auxiliary services.
From the earliest days of his presidency, he has placed new science facilities at the top of the institutional needs list, and has worked with agencies and individuals throughout the state to advance that goal. A full study of the project has been completed in anticipation of financial support via a forthcoming state bond bill.
President Antonucci has significantly increased the college's visibility in Boston as well as the local region, meeting frequently with elected officials, the Board of Higher Education, and other state agencies. Early in his term, Governor Deval Patrick appointed Antonucci to chair the Higher Education Task Force and to serve as a member of the Pre-K through 12 Task Force. Subsequently he was appointed by the governor to chair the University of Massachusetts and Public Higher Education subcommittee of the Readiness Project Leadership Council, and to serve as a member of the Workforce Standards and Performance Accountability Task Force.
Before joining Fitchburg State, Antonucci was president of the school group at Cambridge-based Riverdeep—The Learning Company. Riverdeep is a leading provider of electronic educational software offered via the Internet and CD-ROM.
He has also held the positions of president and chief executive officer with Harcourt Learning Direct and Harcourt Higher Education, and chief executive officer of Harcourt eLearning and the California College for Health Sciences. Harcourt was the first online college in Massachusetts granted authority to award bachelor and associate degrees.
Earlier in his career, Antonucci was for 12 years superintendent of schools in Falmouth. As superintendent, he served as the chief executive officer of the town's K-12 school system, which included approximately 4,700 students and 650 employees.
From 1974 to 1980, Antonucci served as assistant superintendent of the Leominster Public Schools. He began his career in education in 1967 as a teacher and administrator in Lunenburg.
No stranger to Fitchburg State, Antonucci holds two degrees from the institution, and was presented with an honorary doctoral degree. He also holds a doctorate in education from Boston University, where he served as an adjunct faculty member from 1994 to 1998, teaching graduate courses on state and local politics and education.
In addition to the honorary degree, President Antonucci has also been presented with the Fitchburg State Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also holds honorary degrees from Endicott College and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Boston University selected Antonucci to chair the panel that conducted a review of the institution’s School of Education. He also chairs the NCAA Division III Chancellors/Presidents Advisory Group, as well as the Massachusetts State College Council of Presidents. Governor Deval Patrick appointed him to chair the Higher Education Task Force and to serve as a member of the Pre-K through 12 Task Force.
A member of the board of trustees or directors at Eastern Bank, Unitil, Our Father's House, and the North Central Massachusetts Boys & Girls Club, President Antonucci is a corporator at Cape Cod Healthcare and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. He is an elected town meeting member in Falmouth and a member of the United Way of North Central Massachusetts' board of directors. He is a member of the Latino Coalition, the Governor's Intervention Task Force, the Merrimack Education Center Executive Board, and the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
Former chair of the team that assessed the Boston University School of Education, President Antonucci is also chair of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges strategic planning initiative, and the Massachusetts State Colleges Council of Presidents.
His wife, Jeanne, also holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the college. The Antonuccis have a son and daughter-in-law, John and Jennifer Antonucci, and a daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Douglas Karson. They also have five grandchildren-Robbie, Jake and Andrew Antonucci, and Jack and Anthony Karson.
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