The California State University Board of Trustees has named Dr. Joseph I. Castro, vice chancellor, student academic affairs of the University of California, San Francisco, as president of Fresno State.
“It is incredibly humbling that the CSU Trustees have appointed me as the next president of Fresno State, and I truly appreciate this honor,” said Castro. “Dr. Welty has been successful in leading Fresno State over the last 22 years. I look forward to working alongside the faculty, staff and students at the university and with alumni and friends throughout the Central Valley and beyond to build on this strong foundation and to guide Fresno State to new heights of success.”
Castro was among the finalists for the position to succeed retiring President John D. Welty, who has served as Fresno president since 1991. He is expected to begin his new position as president by August 1, 2013.
“Dr. Castro’s combination of demonstrated achievements, leadership skills and academic credentials makes him the ideal person to serve as the president of Fresno State,” said CSU Trustee Peter Mehas, chair of the presidential search committee. “As a native of the Central Valley, he understands that the impact of Fresno State extends far beyond the boundaries of the campus and will serve as an excellent leader as the university continues to serve and shape the region.”
Castro joins Fresno State after holding several leadership positions at University of California campuses, most recently serving as vice chancellor, student academic affairs at UC San Francisco since 2010. In that capacity he was responsible for the leadership of a broad range of departments focused on enriching the educational experience of UC San Francisco’s talented and diverse student body. Castro also holds the position of adjunct professor in the department of family and community medicine in the School of Medicine at UCSF.
Prior to his appointment as vice chancellor, Castro served as vice provost (2008-10), associate vice chancellor for student academic affairs (2006-08) and as interim graduate dean at UCSF from October 2011 to March 2012. He was the recipient of the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Award at UCSF and the 2010 University of California Student Association’s Administrator of the Year Award. In January of 2012 he was recognized by the UCSF Council of Minority Organizations for his extraordinary contributions to advancing diversity at the university.
During his 23-year career, Castro has served in leadership positions within the UC system at the Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Barbara campuses and at the Office of the President.
Castro earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate in higher education policy and leadership from Stanford University. A native of Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, Castro is the first member of his family to attend college. He and his wife Mary, who is also a Valley native, have three children including a daughter who is a student at Humboldt State University.
