Dear Colleagues,
After a search process that produced an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, I have selected Dr. Cinthya Saavedra as the new Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, effective January 1, 2024. Dr. Saavedra will join the Provost’s Office from the College of Liberal Arts where she served as Associate Dean for Faculty Success and Engagement since Fall 2019.
Dr. Saavedra moves into the position with a record of leadership experience not just as director of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Liberal Arts but as a leader in the Texas Association of Bilingual Education, as journal editor for Journal of Latino and Latin American Studies, article reviewer of multiple noteworthy journals, and as a Project Leader for the Edinburg Housing Authority. Prior to joining the faculty at UTRGV in Fall 2016, she spent eight years as a faculty member as Utah State University and has had prior academic appointments at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and UT Arlington. Dr. Saavedra is a recognized scholar on topics related to Chicana/Latina Feminism, Borderlands and Multiculturalism, and Educational Equity. Her publication record includes articles in Equity & Excellence in Education, International Journal of Qualitative Research, Review of Education, and TESOL Quarterly.
I want to take a moment to thank our search committee, led by Dr. Alma Rodriguez and composed of representatives for across our institution, whose tireless work over the last few months has been invaluable in this process. The search committee included:
- Alma Rodriguez (Chair)
- Michale Abebe
- Jonikka Charlton
- David Granado
- Robert Freeman
- Daniel Hunter-Holly
- Cynthia Paccacerqua
- Jeffrey Ward
As we begin the next chapter in creating a new era of Faculty Success at UTRGV, please help me in welcoming Dr. Saavedra to this role. Your continued support will be paramount to our continued success.
Sincerely,
Luis H. Zayas, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
