USU Names New Dean and Executive Director of Uintah Basin Regional Campus

C. Wesley Holley has been named dean and executive director of Utah State University’s Uintah Basin Regional Campus. Holley is currently associate dean and director of academic programs in the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at New Mexico State University.  He will assume his new responsibilities at Utah State Sept. 1, 2008.

Holley is the first to hold the position of dean and executive director at one of USU’s regional campuses. This new administrative role reflects the expanding number of academic programs that are being delivered at the regional campuses and the increasing number of faculty who are employed on those campuses.

 

The dean and executive director is the chief academic and administrative officer of the regional campus and is responsible for the overall operation and budget of the facilities, in both Roosevelt and Vernal, as well as programs delivered throughout the region.

 

Prior to joining the faculty at New Mexico State, Holley has held both faculty and administrative positions at Oklahoma State University, where he worked for more than 20 years.  At Oklahoma State he served as assistant dean for academic programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and as professor and head of the Department of Environmental Sciences.

 

Ronda Menlove, vice provost of regional campuses and distance education, said the hiring of Holley signals a new direction in leadership for the regional campuses and elevates the academic standing of this campus.

 

“Under his leadership, the regional campus will continue its exciting progress in academics, development and community service,” Menlove said. “Dr. Holley and his wife bring with them a vision of how higher education can increase learning and excellence in the lives of Uintah Basin residents and support growth in the local economy.”

 

Debbie Spafford, chair of the Utah State University Uintah Basin Regional Campus advisory board, said the skills Holley brings with him will be very important during the next few years of growth in the Basin. She said that Holley‘s experience with off-campus programs and his dynamic personality are a great fit for the region.

 

“He understands the challenges of being a first-generation college student,” said Spafford. “He is a great collaborator and is very community oriented.”

 

Holley said he is excited about the new position in the Uintah Basin and considers it to be one of the most unique opportunities he has seen in serving the needs of students, residents and communities with a rich educational environment.

 

“Community members have already worked to create an excellent foundation in the Uintah Basin,” Holley said. “I look forward to the opportunity to build on that foundation in order to better support teaching, scholarship and facilities.”

 

As a member of the university-wide Council of Deans, Holley will provide administrative and intellectual leadership for faculty and students at the Uintah Basin Regional Campus. He said he is optimistic about plans for the future direction of the campus and about creating a stronger collaborative relationship between all the campuses of Utah State University.

 

Holley completed his undergraduate degree in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University, and earned master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural education from the same institution.

 

USU President Stan L. Albrecht said that Holley’s experience and vision for the Uintah Basin are very important as the region enters a period of unparalleled continued growth and expansion.

 

“Dr. Holley has extensive experience with outreach and distance education programs,” Albrecht said. “He is committed to the land-grant mission and is a great fit for Utah State University.”