Dr. Jeronima “Jeri” Echeverria, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at California State University, Fresno, has been named associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs of the California State University system. She moves in February to her new position at CSU headquarters in Long Beach.

The CSU associate vice chancellor serves as principal adviser to the executive vice chancellor, Academic Affairs, on policy development and strategies, and provides operational direction and management for Academic Affairs departments.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the faculty and students of the CSU in this challenging assignment,” said Echeverria. “I am also grateful for the experiences I have had at Fresno State that have prepared me to work on academic issues for our university system and for the state of California.”

Fresno State President John D. Welty offered his congratulations and best wishes to Echeverria.

“Dr. Echeverria is a highly respected academic leader who has helped lead the academic growth of our university,” Welty said. “As a professor and administrator, her top concern has been providing a quality education for Fresno State students.

“I, personally, and the campus will miss her greatly, and we wish her well in this important promotion,” Welty said.

Welty praised Echeverria’s achievements as Fresno State provost, including recruiting and building a strong, collegial team of deans; expanding outcome assessment of academic programs; and establishing a number of center and institutes. Among them are the Jan and Bud Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning, the Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute, the Ethics Center, and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Welty anticipates appointing an interim provost in January and immediately beginning a national search to fill the position.

Echeverria has been provost and vice president since 2003.

She joined the university faculty in the Department of History in 1988 after completing her doctorate in American History at the University of North Texas. At Fresno State she has served as the single-subject coordinator in Social Sciences, chaired the Department of History and was associate dean of the College of Social Sciences, where she served from 1995 to 2000, when she was named associate provost.

In 1993, Echeverria served on the university's Intercollegiate Athletics Strategic Planning committee that, among other things, helped assure that Fresno State's athletic program achieved gender equity.

A native of California born to Basque immigrants, Echeverria grew up on a sheep ranch in Southern California. She earned a B.A. degree in Humanities/History from the University of California, Irvine, teaching credentials in Social Sciences and Educational Administration, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from University of North Texas, specializing in Basque-related topics.

An expert on Basque settlement in the American West, Echeverria’s publications include "Home Away from Home: A History of Basque Boarding Houses," "Portraits of Basques in the New World" and "Home Off the Range: Basque Hotels in America."

She also has published several articles on Basques and is frequently invited to speak on related topics.

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CSU Press Release