Marc Austin Named Vice Provost and Managing Director of Montclair Unbound

Montclair State University has appointed Dr. Marc Austin to the position of Vice Provost and Managing Director for Montclair Unbound, effective May 12, 2025.

Montclair Unbound is a new strategic initiative aimed at better serving current and reaching new students with more flexible offerings through deepening our work to expand existing and develop new fully online programs. In addition, another important component of the work will be augmenting certain efforts like research about and marketing for other graduate programs. Montclair Unbound will serve undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni and lifelong learners.

In this role, he will provide strategic vision, leadership, and oversight for Montclair Unbound’s initiatives. He will guide the development, marketing, recruitment and delivery of online, hybrid and distance education and the services that will enable students to succeed in these programs.

“I am thrilled that Dr. Austin has decided to join us and lead Montclair Unbound,” says Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Junius Gonzales. “His background in implementing and developing online academic programs and courses while helping learners access education on their own terms is a perfect fit for Montclair’s vision of expanding flexible learning opportunities and meeting the needs of today’s multifaceted student body.”

Austin comes to Montclair with an extensive background in management consulting and is nationally recognized as a leader in online education. He has served in a variety of senior university roles relating to academic innovation, online and executive continuing education. At George Mason University, he designed critical pathways from community colleges to four-year degree programs, created partnerships with large industry partners, and launched 20 highly ranked online programs. He currently serves as the Founding Dean and Associate Provost at Augusta University. In this role, he built the operations and infrastructure for a new online university, emphasizing high-quality, learner-centric experiences aligned with workforce needs. Serving as the University’s Chief Online Officer, he is recognized for his collaborative approach to build new university offerings. Under his leadership, the online programs experienced exponential enrollment growth, while maintaining a 94% persistence rate. Additionally, Dr. Austin has been actively involved in the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce with an emphasis on regional workforce and economic development.

Austin earned a bachelor’s in History from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He then went on to complete a second master’s in Political Science and a doctorate in International Political Economy from Columbia University.

“Digital learning has a unique place in reaching students with varied backgrounds, economic circumstances, and unique life experiences,” says Austin. “Montclair Unbound demonstrates the University’s commitment to delivering flexible education as a vehicle for access, belonging and advancement.”