Candidate Geraldine M. Jones
Geraldine M. Jones was named acting university president of California University of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2012. Following a recommendation from the California University Council of Trustees, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Board of Governors named her interim university president on March 20, 2013. President Jones graduated from California State College in 1972 with a bachelor of education degree and earned her master’s degree in education at California in 1980.
She returned to California in 1974, serving as program director for Upward Bound for 20 years and as chair of the Department of Academic Development Services for 11 years. She was associate dean of the College of Education and Human Services for two years before serving as the college dean from 2000-2008. In July 2008, she was named provost/vice president for academic affairs, a position she held until being appointed as acting university president.
Important initiatives have been realized under President Jones’ tenure as interim president, including the University’s 2015-2020 Strategic Plan; the University’s first doctoral degree program, the Doctor of Health Science; a new system of shared governance; the Center for Undergraduate Research to enhance and expand faculty-led research in all three undergraduate colleges; a successful Winter College; the Military Tuition Program, which exceeded its first-year enrollment goal by more than 50%; and nine new academic programs in high-demand areas since the 2012-2013 academic year, to name a few such initiatives.

Candidate Ralph Rogers, Ph.D.
Dr. Ralph Rogers currently serves as the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs of Nova Southeastern University (NSU). As the chief academic officer for NSU, Provost Rogers provides leadership for matters that affect academic programs, research, and outreach involving faculty, students, and staff. He oversees the quality of instruction and research at the University through collaborative work with deans, departmental chairs, and other vice presidents, addressing issues such as academic quality, effective planning, good management, and program reviews. Dr. Rogers helps ensure the quality of the faculty by administering and overseeing procedures and criteria for faculty appointments and promotions, and working conditions. He monitors the quality of student learning by overseeing the curriculum while encouraging and coordinating initiatives in undergraduate and graduate education. Additionally, the Provost is responsible for overseeing academic and budgetary planning and priorities.
Among the key efforts led by Dr. Rogers since joining NSU in 2013 included leading teams to develop reorganization and restructuring of Academic Affairs. Complementing the Academic Affairs restructuring was the development of a strategic plan for research which identified focus areas of research for NSU and the need to hire research faculty and address research administrative leadership, policies, and incentives. He instituted new policies and began a systematic review and revision of academic leadership, policies, and procedures to align with the new organization structure and research imperatives. New academic initiatives also created a new Honors College and the College of Engineering and Computer Science which included establishing a new innovative general engineering program.

Candidate Guiyou Huang, Ph.D.
Guiyou Huang, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty and Professor of English at Norwich University, a comprehensive university with both civilian students and a corps of cadets, located in Vermont. Previously he had served first as Dean of Undergraduate Studies & Programs and then Dean of Biscayne College of Liberal Arts at St. Thomas University, Florida. Other leadership positions he held include Honors College Director at Grand Valley State University, Michigan; Director of University Honors Program and Chair of the English Department at Kutztown University, one of the 14 campuses within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, where he served on a number of APSCUF committees.
During his tenure as SVPAA and Dean of the Faculty at Norwich since July 2010, Dr. Huang collaborated with colleagues in leading and completing a number of important institutional priorities, including:
Created and implemented a new academic structure and collaborating with the Faculty Senate, revised policies to reflect structural changes.
Played integral role in the university’s strategic planning; developed Norwich’s first Academic Plan with focus on experiential learning, pedagogical innovation, and High Impact Practices, among others.
Expanded internationalization in several areas, including study abroad opportunities, the visiting/exchange scholars program, and international student recruitments.
Improved diversity in faculty and was instrumental in having diversity written into the university’s Strategic Plan.
Established an assessment plan with learning outcomes for all programs.
Participated in strategic enrollment management and improved student retention rates by 4% over the last five years.
Established 5 undergraduate degree programs, 2 graduate programs, 5 online degree completion programs, and several research centers.

Full bios at Calu.edu