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Sale appointed provost/vice president for Academic Affairs
After a four-month search, The University of Texas-Pan American announced the appointment of Dr. Paul Sale as the University’s provost/vice president for Academic Affairs. He was greeted and serenaded by the UTPA Mariachi who offered a lively South Texas welcome before the press conference Monday, July 24.
“The best way to lead is to hire people who are smarter than you are, and he is. I think he brings the passion, ability, knowledge, experience and the standards that we wish to achieve,” said UTPA President Dr. Blandina Cárdenas. “In the final analysis it was Paul Sale’s desire to be here and serve these students that was the deciding factor.”
Pictured from left to right are UTPA President Dr. Blandina Cárdenas and Dr. Paul Sale, who was appointed provost/vice president for Academic Affairs at UTPA.
With a strong record as a leader in academia, Cárdenas said his credentials were among the most impressive.
“I humbly and enthusiastically accept this appointment. I pledge to you President Cárdenas and to the faculty, staff and students to vigorously devote my energy, passion, strengths, knowledge and skills to advance the mission and values of The University of Texas-Pan American,” Sale said.
He said he has privately celebrated the University’s many successes over the past few months and it is clear to him that the campus is moving in a very strategic direction and with deliberate speed.
“Know that I will approach the role of provost and vice president as a collaborative servant leader. I will spend my first few weeks, intensively listening to and learning from the many constituencies on and off campus,” Sale said. “This listening, learning and relationship building will serve us well as we work together to realize our goals and move together to achieve the vision set forth for UTPA in 2012.”
Sale comes to UTPA from Radford University in southwest Virginia where he served as dean and professor of the College of Education and Human Development for six years. While at Radford, Sale was instrumental in helping to expand the curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; manage enrollment growth; create a new School of Teacher Education and Leadership; and establish new faculty governance structures within the college. His professional expertise is in the education of exceptional children and vocational rehabilitation of adults with disabilities.
As a first-generation college graduate, he completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Virginia Commonwealth University and his doctorate at the University of Georgia.
Students, faculty and staff at UT Pan American were pleased with the caliber of candidates and the level of professionalism with which the provost search was conducted.
“Dr. Sale brings a strong commitment to students with him as he joins us at the University,” said Joey Nichols, a summer graduate of UTPA and former vice president of the Student Government Association. “From speaking briefly with him at the open forum, I suspect that Dr. Sale will both seek and value student input in his decision-making, which will allow him to better contribute to UTPA's growing culture of openness and shared governance.”
Dr. Grant Benham, assistant professor of psychology and anthropology, said the University has a strong sense of community which is now being infused with the varied skills and experiences of new faculty and administrators.
“I am impressed with how quickly and effectively the provost search committee was able to provide a final pool of quality candidates and, based on Dr. Sale’s background, I am optimistic that he will be able to move us closer to achieving our institutional goals,” Benham said.
Sale will start the position at UTPA, Aug. 21, replacing Dr. Ana Maria Rodriguez, who has served as interim provost. Rodriguez will return to her position as associate vice president for Undergraduate Studies.
“My wife, Kim, and I are looking forward to becoming part of this campus community. We are eager to build new and long lasting relationships with our campus colleagues and with the residents of the greater Rio Grande Valley,” he said.
Guerra named new College of Arts and Humanities dean
Dr. Dahlia Guerra, chair of the Department of Music for The University of Texas-Pan American, said her career at the University has come full circle with her appointment as the new dean of the College of Arts and Humanities July 19.
Over the years, Guerra has served the University in numerous capacities including lecturer, assistant and associate professor and her current title as chair, which she has held since 1999.
Guerra, an alumna of then-Pan American University, said she looks forward to serving the College of Arts and Humanities faculty and establishing the college as a center for research and a preserver of the history, culture, visual and performing arts of South Texas.
Dr. Dahlia Guerra, chair of the UTPA Department of Music, was named the new dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.
“Together with this faculty and our students I am ready to take the College of Arts and Humanities to the next level,” she said.
Guerra, who has been with UTPA since 1985, will begin her duties as head of the college Sept. 1. As dean, she will lead six departments that offer 12 bachelor’s and seven master’s degrees.
In her new position, Guerra said she plans to align the college with the University’s strategic goals; develop new undergraduate and graduate programs; facilitate research and creative activities; raise funds for student scholarships; support international programs and exchanges with other higher education institutions; and work with administration on the design of the new Fine Arts Academic and Performance Complex.
“Our college is the largest, most diverse, and should be the most visible college in the University and the South Texas community,” Guerra said. “The College of Arts and Humanities within UTPA plays a major role in the cultural life of the Rio Grande Valley and is capable of becoming the cultural, artistic, and research center in South Texas.”
In addition, Guerra said she would like to establish a network between the college and communities, cities and public schools to create awareness and opportunities for current and future students at UTPA.
Guerra is credited with the establishment of the award-winning UTPA Mariachi program, which she began in 1989 and features the Mariachi and Mariachi Femenil. Under her direction, the UTPA groups have won numerous national and international music competition titles.
The Edinburg native is also an accomplished pianist and has performed in numerous local, state, national and international solo piano recitals.
“Dr. Guerra’s commitment to promoting the cultural music of the region and her dedication to engaging the students and community of South Texas in the arts makes her the best candidate for dean of the College of Arts and Humanities,” Dr. Ana Maria Rodriguez, interim provost/vice president for Academic Affairs, said.
Guerra received her Bachelor of Arts in piano performance from then-Pan American University in 1976, and her Master of Music in piano performance and piano pedagogy from Southern Methodist University in 1978, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Oklahoma in 1997.
The College of Arts and Humanities includes the departments of art, communication, English, history and philosophy, modern languages and literature, and music. The college currently enrolls more than 2,500 undergraduate and 190 graduate students, with a roster of more than 200 full- and part-time faculty.
Guerra will replace Dr. Wallace Tucker, who postponed his retirement in January 2005 to serve as interim dean of the College of Arts and Humanities until an official search was completed.
