Salvador Hector Ochoa Named SDSU Provost
Nationally regarded education scholar Salvador Hector Ochoa, a University of New Mexico dean, has been appointed SDSU's Provost and Senior Vice President.
Joining SDSU, Ochoa will provide leadership for the university’s inclusive, campus-wide visioning process in alignment with our shared governance priorities. He will also hold a crucial role as SDSU begins its university-wide strategic planning.
“Ochoa’s appointment is ideal as we look toward SDSU’s future in Mission Valley and begin work to solidify the new strategic vision and plan to elevate our research enterprise, binational impact and the overall support and success of our students,” said SDSU President Adela de la Torre.
Ochoa, currently dean of the College of Education and a professor at the University of New Mexico, is well-respected across the nation for his research on bilingual psychoeducational assessment and educational programming issues related to Latino students.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to have been selected as San Diego State University’s new Provost and Senior Vice President.” said Ochoa regarding his selection. “I am excited to join President Adela de la Torre as she mobilizes the assets of an extraordinary faculty, staff and student body to reach higher levels of quality and service to the region.” Ochoa also spoke briefly about why he was attracted to SDSU. “For this son of the border, San Diego State University represents a rich resource for meeting the challenges, hopes, dreams and opportunities embodied in border life. I believe in its mission and I believe in students. They are the reason I became an educator.” “I am grateful to President de la Torre, the Search Committee and the administrators, faculty, staff and students for their welcome and support. Y ahora, a trabajar.”
Ochoa has extensive expertise in the areas of fiscal management and oversight, accreditation and assessment, growth of research infrastructure and enterprise, state and university regulations, and student retention and success. Also, having raised $11.47 million during the first four years of his deanship and increasing the number of endowed student scholarships, Ochoa brings documented expertise in alumni engagement, development and fundraising.
“Ochoa’s record of building institutional capacity for research and fundraising and increasing both the support and success of students from all backgrounds, including those who have historically been underserved in higher education, presents him as the ideal person for the role of SDSU provost,” de la Torre said.
“Ochoa also holds a strong commitment to our institutional values in diversity, inclusion and a binational and global orientation. I look forward to working with Ochoa and the rest of our SDSU community to elevate our campus to the next level.”
Ochoa earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from St. Edward’s University in 1981, a Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Pan American University in 1984, and a doctorate in school psychology from Texas A&M University in 1989.
