Satyajit Dattagupta, senior vice president and dean of admission for enrollment management and graduate and pre-college strategy at Tulane University, will step down June 6 and assume a new role at Northeastern University as chief enrollment officer, senior vice chancellor and special advisor to the president, overseeing enrollment and admission.

Dattagupta’s departure was announced in a message to faculty and staff on Jan. 12 and comes as Tulane prepares to announce full enrollment statistics for the Class of 2026. 

Dattagupta arrived at Tulane in 2016 as vice president of enrollment management and has helmed Tulane admissions as both selectivity and yield have increased dramatically.

In a written message to employees, President Mike Fitts and Provost Robin Forman stressed Dattagupta’s “superb job articulating the transformative and unique educational experience Tulane offers to a new generation of students.”

Tulane’s current freshman class had an acceptance rate of 9.7%, a selectivity rate that administrators said was “similar to many Ivy League schools.” Dattagupta oversaw years of increasing selectivity.

Via telephone, Dattagupta expressed a bittersweet feeling at his departure. “Today was both a sad and happy day for me. I told my team, and there were a lot of emotions.”

His journey to Tulane was a long and winding one. “I came from India to America at the age of 17,” Dattagupta said. 

Dattagupta served in admissions roles at Depauw University, University of Rochester and Washington College before arriving at Tulane.

Since his arrival, Dattagupta said “[Tulane is] in a place where our admissions processes and our numbers are reflective of the great institution we are.”

A priority for Dattagupta throughout his tenure was increasing Black, indigenous and people of color representation at Tulane. Tulane’s BIPOC population stands at over 25% today, up from 17% before Dattagupta’s arrival.

“I never thought I would fall in love with the place,” Dattagupta said. “I think that’s the hardest part for us, is leaving New Orleans and Tulane.”

Dattagupta said, however, he is excited about Boston and Northeastern.

“I am an international student … ” Dattagupta said, “and I am looking forward to being at an institution that cares deeply about immigrants, international students and furthering my career in admissions at a place that has such a massive global perspective and such a huge global operation.”