December 3, 2010

UCSF Appoints Castro as Vice Chancellor for Student Academic Affairs

Joseph Castro

Joseph Castro, PhD, vice provost for Student Academic Affairs, has been appointed UCSF’s vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs, in recognition of his increased scope of responsibilities during the last four years.

The appointment was approved Nov. 30 by the UC Board of Regents and announced by Jeff Bluestone, PhD, executive vice chancellor and provost on Wednesday. “Joe has been a highly effective and collaborative leader who has served as the vice provost for Student Academic Affairs since 2006 in an exemplary manner and as special assistant to the chancellor since January 2010,” Bluestone wrote in his announcement.

As UCSF vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs, Castro reports to Bluestone, executive vice chancellor and provost. He will continue to serve on the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet.

Castro has held leadership positions across the UC system over the last 20 years, including the Berkeley, Davis, Merced, and Santa Barbara campuses and at the Office of the President. He is also a faculty member in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the UCSF School of Medicine.

“I am honored to serve at UCSF in this new and exciting leadership position,” Castro said. “It will provide me with an opportunity to continue working closely with our extraordinary students, faculty and staff to enhance our campus’ educational programs.”

In his new role, Castro is responsible for five strategically important UCSF initiatives: education, including interprofessional health education, K-12 and inter-segmental partnerships, campus climate, culture, inclusion, and accreditation through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation.

Castro will also advise Bluestone and Chancellor Sue Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, on partnership initiatives that foster stronger ties between UCSF and the San Francisco community in the areas of reducing health disparities, improving community-based participatory research and expanding educational opportunity.

As the primary advisor to the chancellor and the executive vice chancellor and provost on student issues, Castro leads the UCSF/San Francisco Unified School District Partnership, a critical part of UCSF’s community service, and the Center for Educational Partnerships. He is also the key liaison with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and represents the chancellor and executive vice chancellor and provost in meetings with local, state and federal elected officials about student and education-related issues.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence from Chancellor Desmond-Hellmann and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bluestone in what my colleagues and I in Student Academic Affairs and across the campus have done to strengthen services for students and trainees,” Castro said.

Additionally, Castro will further his efforts to promote racial and ethnic diversity at UCSF by co-leading with the Development Office a new fundraising campaign that will help the campus continue recruiting and retaining the most talented and diverse students. In this capacity, he will work closely with the new vice chancellor for diversity and outreach.

Castro will continue fulfilling his previous responsibilities as well, including leadership of student-oriented operations such as the Office of the Registrar, Student Financial Aid, Student Health and Counseling Services, Student Life, International Students and Scholars Office, Institutional Research, and Educational Technology Services.

Castro received a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a PhD degree in higher education policy and leadership from Stanford University. He is the recipient of the 2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award at UCSF and the 2010 Administrator of the Year Award from the University of California Student Association. Castro was recently honored by KGO ABC Channel 7 in their Profiles of Excellence Series.

A native of the San Joaquin Valley, Castro is the grandson of farm workers born in Mexico and of members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. He was the first person in his family to attend a university.

Castro and his wife, Mary, have two children and are expecting their third child in January.

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