Northern Michigan University President Chris Olsen heads into his first full academic year with a clear mandate: stabilize enrollment, deepen ties with the Marquette community and build on a record-breaking fundraising year.

Classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 19, on NMU's Marquette campus. Olsen, who started Jan. 5 after the Board of Trustees unanimously appointed him in October 2025, told TV6 Morning News on Tuesday, Aug. 18, that months of listening have sharpened his view of the university.

"I've been listening a lot, learning a lot, and I think I have a much better sense of all the things that Northern does so well, and some things maybe we can do better," Olsen said.

Enrollment is the top priority

At his first university forum on April 13, Olsen called enrollment NMU's "most immediate challenge." He noted that most regional public universities have lost more than 50% of their students, but NMU has beaten that trend so far.

The picture is not entirely rosy.

Executive Vice President Gavin Leach reported at the same forum that freshman and transfer orientation numbers pointed to a projected enrollment decline of 2.2–3.5% for the coming year, with state appropriations described as "not very positive." To cushion the impact, NMU offered a voluntary buyout incentive plan to qualifying employees.

On the academic side, Provost Anne Dahlman announced a retention initiative called "First Four Weeks," launching this fall to identify students who need extra support early. The university also plans to triple its Honors Program intake from 100 new students per year to 300.

Associate Vice President for Northern Student Experience Jeff Korpi said NMU has drawn students from Florida, Texas and the East Coast, markets the university had not traditionally targeted.

Record fundraising year

The NMU Foundation announced Tuesday, Aug. 18, that it closed the most recent fiscal year with more than $10.3 million in philanthropic support, the first time in the university's history the foundation has topped $10 million in a single year. NMU plans to launch the public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign in early 2027.

A historian at the helm

Olsen is NMU's 19th president. A Fargo, North Dakota, native, he earned his Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of Florida in 1996 and spent decades at Indiana State University, where he held roles including history department chair, dean and provost. He succeeded Brock Tessman, who left in July 2025 to lead Montana State University.

Olsen's contract runs through June 30, 2031, and includes a tenured faculty appointment in NMU's History Department.

He told TV6 the start of the school year still energizes him after 42 years in higher education. NMU's 2026 Homecoming football game against Davenport is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, in the Superior Dome.