The new president of Northern Arizona University, an engineer who ran one of the largest urban universities in the world, includes a promise to increase Native American and Hispanic graduation rates among his goals.
He will officially join the job on June 14th. But he said work on the transition – “paving the way into the brave future that awaits us” – will begin immediately.
Dr. José Luis Cruz was unanimously appointed Wednesday by the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s three public universities.
Cruz praised the rigorous selection process and thanked the students, faculty, tribal leaders, elected officials, and the residents of Flagstaff for asking thoughtful questions and sharing concerns during his application.
Additional campus visits, virtual town halls and face-to-face meetings, as well as the formation of a presidential transitional commission, will guide Cruz throughout the spring, he said.
He will be the 17th President of the NAU and its first Latino President.
“I have expressed my commitment to promoting soil learning and laying the foundation for the 17th presidency,” said Cruz. “I will be spending a lot of time building trust within the campus community so that we can build on that foundation to advance larger goals in terms of enrollment, excellent academic programs, diversity, equity and inclusion … and all issues of higher education controversy With.”
New leader, new aspirations
Cruz represents the kind of leader that made community members know they wanted, said Regent Board Member Fred DuVal.
“I think in Dr. Cruz we met the community right where it is. We met the needs that existed, and we met the aspirations that existed, and that is very exciting,” said DuVal. “What confirmed this appointment – we know it, and we tell the rest of the world – is that the NAU is a nationally recognized university, just like the University of Arizona and ASU. And Dr. Cruz reflected that caliber.”
Cruz joins from the City University of New York, where he was runner-up in command of a system of 25 locations in the city that serves a largely commuting student body of more than 270,000 students. The NAU is smaller and more rural, with roughly 30,000 students and a main campus in the mountains, but Cruz said the two places share educational values in common.
Hopefully the change is welcome, said Regents’ chairman Larry Penley, who “welcomed Cruz very warmly to the West.”
An island and two coasts in the background of Cruz
Prior to serving as Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost at the City University of New York, Cruz Provost was at California State University in Fullerton. He also worked at the Education Trust in Washington, DC, and the University of Puerto Rico system.
He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, followed by masters and doctorates from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Building bridges between the NAU and Flagstaff
Challenges Cruz will face include declining enrollments and relationships with Flagstaff residents, some of whom have challenged the university’s growth.
“The fate of Flagstaff and the fate of NAU on the way to the next chapter of this great institution are inextricably linked. There is simply no way to separate them,” said Cruz. “There is a concept that universities are good administrators of places and that it is not just about being the educational center, the information center, but also an economic center, a cultural center for the places where they live.
“We absolutely have to come together to find a way forward. I am absolutely confident that we can do it right.”
Promote diversity, increase graduation rates
Cruz commended public universities for giving students like him the opportunity to build solid careers and drive positive change.
He emphasized the need to serve all students, including those from traditionally underserved communities.
Studying and working in universities in Puerto Rico and the Bronx, among the impoverished communities, and Orange County, among the richest, informed his prospects, Cruz said.
Although the NAU has one of the highest Native American enrollment rates in the country, Cruz said he wanted to increase support to help increase graduation rates. Soon the university will qualify for additional federal funding as its student population reaches 25% Hispanic, but Cruz said it was important to use the funds wisely to serve students well.
“Justice is about the policies and practices that you put in place to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, has the opportunity and access to resources that enable them to be fully involved in their work,” said Cruz.
Improve transparency and trust
Transparency, accountability, open communication and joint governance are also among his top priorities, he said.
Cruz will replace NAU President Rita Cheng, who announced plans to resign before her contract expires after an audit found that her use of travel money was not in line with guidelines was a backlash.
What Cruz will earn
Cruz’s three-year contract includes:
- $ 515,000 annual base salary.
- Annual Housing Allowance of $ 70,000.
- Annual vehicle allowance of $ 10,000.
- Cash retirement plan at 18% of annual base salary.
- Eligibility for bonuses related to performance goals.
- Reimbursement of moving costs and up to four trips to Flagstaff between March 1st and June 14th.
- Medical benefits, sick leave, vacation leave, and retirement options are available to NAU administrators.
- Travel expense reimbursement comparable to other NAU employees.
- Annual disclosure to the board of directors with regard to membership in organizations and related compensation.
For comparison, Arizona State University President Michael Crow, who oversees six locations and nearly 130,000 students, earned a total of $ 1,024,835 in 2019.
University of Arizona President Robert Robbins, director of three campuses and nearly 47,000 students, took home total compensation of $ 875,000 in 2019.
Arizona Republic reporter Rachel Leingang contributed.
Contact reporter Rebekah L. Sanders at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @RebekahLSanders.
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