Saint Joseph’s President Named to Co-Chair Inaugural Higher Academia Intergovernmental Task Force
The task force will work to identify key recommendations related to higher education issues and opportunities.
President McConnell (fourth from left) pictured at the launch event alongside co-chair and Temple University President John Fry (left of Dr. McConnell) and Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (right of Dr. McConnell).
Saint Joseph's University President Cheryl A. McConnell, PhD, was named co-chair of Philadelphia's inaugural Higher Academia Intergovernmental Task Force (HATF), spearheaded by Philadelphia Councilmember Isaiah Thomas. The task force will serve as a collaborative forum for the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the region’s universities to better understand the state of higher education.
From June 2025 to July 2026, Dr. McConnell and co-chair John Fry, president of Temple University, will identify key opportunities and challenges related to higher education and recommend solutions to move the region forward. A final report will be delivered to local, state and federal partners.
Three subcommittees will be charged with focusing on college and university mergers and acquisitions, NCAA athletics in higher education, and regional collaborations and economic mobility.
“The future is a decision, and it is one we must make together,” Dr. McConnell said at the launch event on June 17 at City Hall. “This task force will help guide our future decisions and identify opportunities for a better tomorrow.”
The future is a decision, and it is one we must make together.
President Cheryl A. McConnell, PhD
A 35-year higher education veteran, Dr. McConnell is a recognized thought leader. She was appointed to the Philadelphia Mayor’s Eds and Meds Roundtable last July, and to the State Board of Higher Education by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in September.
Dr. McConnell also serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), the Board of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), the Council of Presidents for the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Board of Directors for The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, and is a member of the City Avenue District Board.
