New VP for Student Services Named at Utah State University

Utah State University President Kermit L. Hall announced today the appointment of a new vice president for Student Services.

Juan N. Franco, Regent's Chief of Staff at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, accepted the offer to become the 22nd senior administrator to head Student Services, which includes oversight of all student activities, student university housing and food services. He starts May 19.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity," Franco said. "Utah State University is a high quality institution with a national reputation. The students, faculty and staff won me over."

Hall said the 53-year-old academic veteran brings with him the right skills and disposition needed to fill this important position representing university student needs.

"Juan Franco brings excellent academic credentials, a record of successful administrative experience in a variety of university settings, a gift for working closely with students, and a well of enthusiasm and energy," Hall said. "He is the right person to help us make Utah State University what it aspires to be – a student-centered research university where academics come first."

Currently Franco serves as the liaison between New Mexico State President Jay Gogue, former provost at Utah State, and the New Mexico State Board of Regents. Prior to that, he served as interim vice president for Student Services.

That's when the bug bit him, he said. "I've really missed working with students."

He said his main objective is helping students earn their degrees and to stay focused on their academic pursuits – but not at the expense of becoming one-dimensional.

"I want to make sure they get a well-rounded experience," he said. "Student Services is here to help provide for other needs, such as a student's physical, health and social well being. I want to make sure they have received opportunities for a well-rounded education when they leave Utah State."

Franco said he also plans to reach out to non-traditional and minority students around the community and the state – to the benefit of both the students recruited and the students attending.

"I want to be very involved in reaching segments that may have been overlooked," he said. "It's important that students get exposure to a wide variety of people and cultures."

Although Franco had never been to the Logan campus prior to his interview, he said it felt very similar to New Mexico State. Both institutions are nearly the same size; both are land-grant schools with the same mission of service to the state. "The similarity was one of the positives," he said. "I felt very comfortable with Utah State and very supportive of what Utah State University is trying to do."

The feeling was mutual for the 12-member search committee headed up by Barbara White, vice president of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer.

"The committee was impressed by Dr. Franco," White said. "He demonstrated genuine warmth and concern for students. He also has a great sense of humor."

She said he impressed her by the way in which he engaged various campus groups in two-way conversations. "He didn't talk to them, he talked with them."

Student body president Celestial Bybee, who was also on the search committee, said Franco was her No. 1 choice.

"He is by far the best for the students and the best for the community," she said. "He is an outstanding man who really listens and really understands and cares about students. He is just the person we need."

Franco and his wife, Elisa, are the parents of three boys. He received a Ph.D. in counseling and educational psychology from New Mexico State in 1975. He has served as a tenured full professor, academic department head, associate dean and vice president for administration. He has extensive experience in higher education, including working with accreditation agencies.

As interim vice president for Student Services and Dean of Students at New Mexico State, he continued to oversee the academic support programs but also oversaw the typical student affairs areas such as housing, the counseling center, and the Placement and Career Services office.

"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the student government and, partly through my efforts, a better working relationship between the students and the administration developed," he wrote in his resume.

Of the 22 administrators who now have held this position, he is the 11th man. In the early history of the university there were designated both a dean of men and dean of women. Eventually the dean of men role changed to dean of students. The position of dean of students was designated vice president for Student Services in 1970 when Claude Burtenshaw assumed the position. The dean of women title was changed in 1977 to assistant vice president for student services. Helen Lundstrom was the last person to hold the title of dean of women.

Franco replaces Gary A. Chambers, assistant vice president for Student Services, who was named interim vice president in November. He replaced H. Craig Petersen, who temporarily was appointed to the position in June when Patricia S. Terrell resigned to take a similar job at the University of Kentucky.

Chambers will return to his post as assistant vice president in May.

Contact: Dr. Juan N. Franco, 505-233-2487
Writer: John DeVilbiss, 435-797-1358