Utah State's Franco named vice chancellor for student affairs at UNL

Juan N. Franco, vice president for student services at Utah State University in Logan, has been named vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman, who announced the appointment, said Franco will join UNL no later than July 1, when he will replace the retiring James Griesen. Griesen has held the post since 1986.

"We are delighted that Dr. Franco is joining the senior administrative team of this university," Perlman said. "We are confident that he will provide leadership in critical areas of support for our students and in advancing the academic excellence of the university."

The vice chancellor for student affairs oversees the offices of Admissions, Campus Recreation, Career Services, Greek Affairs and Cooperatives, Educational Access and TRIO Programs, Student Judicial Affairs, Registration and Records, University Housing, Student Involvement, Scholarships and Financial Aid, Service for Students with Disabilities, Nebraska Unions and the University Health Center. The position reports to the chancellor through the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the UNL community," Franco said. "My wife Elisa and I want to thank the UNL and Lincoln representatives who gave us such a warm welcome on our visit last week. I look forward to working with Chancellor Perlman and the students, staff and administrators of the university.

"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to work at a university that is a member of the American Association of Universities and is recognized as one of the top 50 public universities in the country."

Franco will have the academic rank of professor of educational psychology at UNL. His annual salary will be $195,000.

He has been vice president for student services and professor of psychology at Utah State since May 2003. In 2004, he was named USU Administrator of the Year by the university newspaper, the University Statesman, and received the Faculty Service Award from Utah State's student government.

Before going to Logan, he gained wide administrative experience in 28 years at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, where he was a professor of counseling and educational psychology. At NMSU, he served as associate director of the Mental Health Research and Evaluation program (1975-84), interim head and head of the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology (1983-88), associate dean of the College of Education (1987-90), interim associate vice president for academic affairs (1989-90), associate vice president for academic affairs (1990-97), vice president of administration (1997-2001), interim vice president for student services and dean of students (2001-02) and Regents' chief of staff (2001-03).

Franco earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas (1970), and his doctorate in counseling and guidance at New Mexico State (1975). He has authored or co-authored more than 50 academic papers, presented at more than 30 academic conferences, and written or co-written grants totaling more than $3.6 million.

CONTACTS: Juan Franco, Vice President, Student Services, Utah State University, (435) 797-1712; and
Meg Lauerman, Director, University Communications, (402) 472-0088