The Idaho State Board of Education announced Dr. David Hahn as Boise State University’s eighth president in a unanimous vote at Wednesday’s special meeting.
The nomination concludes a 10-business-day public engagement period that introduced Hahn to the community as the sole finalist in the university’s presidential search. During this time, the community was invited to provide feedback on Hahn to the board via email, as well as attend an open forum.
“It’s a real honor, it’s a real privilege to be approved as Boise State University’s eighth president,” Hahn said after the board voted unanimously in his favor at the special meeting. “I’m so grateful.”
Hahn is set to receive an annual salary of $480,000. His contract includes a monthly housing allowance of $9,000, a yearly automobile allowance of $9,200 and eligibility for up to $15,000 in relocation expenses.
Coming to Boise State with nearly three decades of experience in higher education, Hahn served as the University of Arizona’s College of Engineering dean since 2019. Before his time with the Wildcats, he spent 20 years at the University of Florida, where he most recently served as chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
“Everyone that I’ve spoken to and all the feedback that we’ve gotten is glowing in terms of meeting with Dr. Hahn,” search committee chair David Turnbull said. “We have a lot of great things happening in the state of Idaho right now and we need a leader at Boise State who can match the moment.”
Wednesday’s announcement was 15 months in the making.
Dr. Marlene Tromp, who led the university for nearly six years as the first female president, announced her resignation in March of 2025. Her departure launched an over-a-yearlong presidential search conducted largely behind closed doors.
That May, former Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Jeremiah Shinn was selected by the board to step in as interim president.
By July 18, 42 people applied to be Boise State’s next president.
According to public records acquired by Idaho Education News, resumes of high-profile Idahoans were being shared with members of the search committee behind the scenes, however the search was put on pause in October when the search committee did not have five finalists to present to the Board for consideration.
“Given these circumstances, the committee recommends extending the search timeline,” the State Board of Education wrote in an email regarding the pause. “This is the most responsible course of action to ensure that Boise State secures a president with the full experience, character and strategic vision to guide the university forward.”
When Gov. Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1225 into law in February, the search reopened with new parameters.
The new bill allowed members of the search committee and the State Board of Education to only publicly identify one sole finalist rather than the previous five. The reopening invited those who previously applied to reapply alongside new candidates hoping to throw their hat in the ring.
Bill sponsor Sen. Lori Den Hartog said candidates withdrew their names out of fear of losing their current jobs in an interview with the Idaho Statesman.
In a press conference with Idaho media outlets on June 16, the day Hahn was announced as sole finalist, Hahn confirmed he had applied in the fall before the pause and reapplied in the spring when the search reopened.
When asked if he would have been uneasy about having his name out as one of five finalists, Hahn said he could not speak to the process and law change, however “for people that are in leadership roles, particularly in academia where there’s a lot of turbulence right now in higher ed and leadership, stability is very important.”
