Cevallos tapped to head Pa. university

by Sarah R. Buchholz, Chronicle staff

Javier Cevallos

avier Cevallos, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, is stepping down June 30 to become president of Kutztown University, an 8,000-student campus in the 14-school Pennsylvania state system. The largely undergraduate institution is located in an eastern part of the state famous for its Pennsylvania Dutch culture, about 90 miles from Philadelphia.

     The campus makeup is homogeneous, 91 percent of students coming from Pennsylvania and only 7 percent being students of color. The school has nearly 400 full-time faculty and offers more than 50 majors. Approximately 35 percent of students live in college-owned, operated, or affiliated housing, and about 3 percent of undergraduates are involved in a fraternity or sorority. The university has 21 intercollegiate sports teams.

     Calling his upcoming position "challenging" and "exciting," Cevallos said he expects to experience a "learning curve" in the new job.

     "It's a much bigger scope than what I do right now," he said. "I'll have to get to know the system, the campus, the people."

     Cevallos is no stranger to the elements that make up a university presidency. He has experience in academic governance, having served as secretary to the Faculty Senate for two years, and having chaired Spanish and Portuguese and served as faculty advisor to the provost. And he spent a year studying all facets of university administration as an American Council on Education fellow in 1996-97.

     He has served in his current capacity, first as interim, then in a permanent position, for four years. Cevallos currently oversees a variety of student-related services, including Housing Services; University Child Care; cultural and student support centers and programs; Health Services; the Dean of Students Office; Greek Affairs; Disability Services; Admissions; Financial Aid Services; the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program; Public Safety; Commuter Services; the Everywoman's Center; and Campus Activities.