Cal Poly VP of Student Affairs steps down after 12 years — but he isn’t going far
Cal Poly’s vice president for Student Affairs, Keith Humphrey, is stepping down from his role after 12 years with the San Luis Obispo univerisity.
“He has made many valuable contributions to the Student Affairs division and the university, and I have appreciated his focus on student wellbeing and success,” President Jeffrey Armstrong wrote in an email to the campus community Thursday.
Humphrey’s departure from Cal Poly’s senior leadership team is effective as of Friday, but he will remain involved in campus operations in his new position supporting the university’s proposed integration with Cal Maritime.
“His work will focus on ensuring that the student experience for both campuses’ students remains strong, should the integration be approved by the Board of Trustees,” Armstrong wrote.
Humphrey, previously an administrator at the University of Arizona, was hired to lead Cal Poly’s Student Affairs division in 2012. During his tenure, he’s overseen a varied list of programs that fell under the Student Affairs umbrella, including Associated Students, Inc.; Career Services; University Housing; Health and Counseling Services;the Parent Program; and Student Life and Leadership.
This isn’t the first time a major administrator has had duties at another campus.
Robert E. Kennedy, the namesake of the campus library, was appointed vice president in 1959 after nearly two decades as a university journalism professor. As vice president, he served both of Cal Poly’s campuses at the time, the one in San Luis Obispo and the southern branch campus then called Kellogg-Vorhis, now Cal Poly Pomona.
In 1966 the two campuses split and Kennedy returned to San Luis Obispo as vice president, and was later named president when McPhee retired that year.
Cindy Villa, Cal Poly’s senior vice president of Administration and Finance emerita who retired in March, will fill in as interim vice president of Student Affairs while they conduct a hiring search for a new division leader, according to Armstrong.
“I am grateful to Cindy for her willingness to step into this important role and know the division will benefit immensely from Cindy’s exceptional leadership experience and abilities,” Armstrong wrote. “I have absolute confidence in the (Student Affairs) division’s ability to continue its important work ensuring our students thrive at Cal Poly and in their lives beyond.”
