Appointment of Dr. Terri Gomez as Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
May 28, 2024
Dear Campus Community,
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Terri Gomez to the position of provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Cal Poly Pomona. Her selection is the result of a national search, through which the campus affirmed her deep understanding of our campus’ strengths and opportunities; her student-centered approach to leadership; her dedication to faculty and staff excellence; and her unwavering commitment to the success of our diverse students both at CPP and in their future personal, professional and civic lives.
With nearly 25 years of service to the Cal Poly Pomona community, Dr. Gomez is a nationally recognized leader for her work on student success and innovative programs to address the needs of diverse student populations. She has secured over $10M in internal and external funding for such initiatives, including the establishment of the PolyTransfer program, which supports transfer students through their first year experience at CPP. Community feedback consistently recognized Dr. Gomez for her clear and proactive communication, her commitment to shared governance and as a convener of high-performing teams. I am delighted that she will continue to lead the Division of Academic Affairs and serve as a crucial member of my cabinet.
Dr. Gomez has served as interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs since October 2023. She has been instrumental in helping our campus navigate a range of complex initiatives including: hosting a successful special visit by the WSCUC accreditation body; implementing the revisions to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and shaping our campus’ response to the changing budgetary and enrollment landscape. Her demonstrated collaboration across divisions has resulted in operational effectiveness as well as strategic alignment on institutional priorities that further strengthen our academic excellence and distinctiveness.
Starting as a lecturer and rising to the rank of professor in the Department of Ethnic and Women’s Studies, she served in various administrative roles, including department chair and interim associate dean in the College of Education and Integrative Studies. In 2016, while serving as interim associate vice president, Dr. Gomez launched the Office of Student Success at Cal Poly Pomona to lead our campus efforts toward the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 and in 2018, was appointed as the inaugural associate vice president for Student Success. In 2020, she was named associate provost for Student Success, Equity and Innovation with an expanded portfolio that included Academic Advising, the Bronco Advising Center, Undeclared Advising, Early Start, Learning Resource Center, First-Year Experience, Common Read, PolyTransfer, STEM Success, Academic Innovation, Student Innovation Idea lab, Kellogg Honors College, Center for Community Service Learning, Office of Undergraduate Research, and the TRiO-funded Reading and Mentoring Program (RAMP).
Among her many recognitions, in 2021, Dr. Gomez received the UCLA Academic Advancement Program Distinguished Alumni Award and on the observance of César Chávez Day in 2024, she was honored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis for her leadership in empowering vulnerable communities.
Beyond her significant professional accomplishments, her personal attributes, values and experience as both a first-generation college student and professor, make her especially well-suited to lead our academic enterprise. She is passionate about the power of higher education to change lives and has focused her career on expanding educational pipelines, fostering access and equity, and working to better understand and address “pipeline leaks” for underserved, first-generation college students.
I want to thank the members of the search committee for their dedicated service and give special recognition to Professor Aaron DeRosa from the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences for his leadership as chair. I am grateful for the many campus stakeholders who provided input, demonstrating their deep investment in Cal Poly Pomona’s continued polytechnic excellence as an epicenter of creativity, discovery and innovation.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Gomez on her appointment and celebrating her continued contributions to advancing our mission.
Sincerely,
With nearly 25 years of service to the Cal Poly Pomona community, Dr. Gomez is a nationally recognized leader for her work on student success and innovative programs to address the needs of diverse student populations. She has secured over $10M in internal and external funding for such initiatives, including the establishment of the PolyTransfer program, which supports transfer students through their first year experience at CPP. Community feedback consistently recognized Dr. Gomez for her clear and proactive communication, her commitment to shared governance and as a convener of high-performing teams. I am delighted that she will continue to lead the Division of Academic Affairs and serve as a crucial member of my cabinet.
Dr. Gomez has served as interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs since October 2023. She has been instrumental in helping our campus navigate a range of complex initiatives including: hosting a successful special visit by the WSCUC accreditation body; implementing the revisions to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and shaping our campus’ response to the changing budgetary and enrollment landscape. Her demonstrated collaboration across divisions has resulted in operational effectiveness as well as strategic alignment on institutional priorities that further strengthen our academic excellence and distinctiveness.
Starting as a lecturer and rising to the rank of professor in the Department of Ethnic and Women’s Studies, she served in various administrative roles, including department chair and interim associate dean in the College of Education and Integrative Studies. In 2016, while serving as interim associate vice president, Dr. Gomez launched the Office of Student Success at Cal Poly Pomona to lead our campus efforts toward the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025 and in 2018, was appointed as the inaugural associate vice president for Student Success. In 2020, she was named associate provost for Student Success, Equity and Innovation with an expanded portfolio that included Academic Advising, the Bronco Advising Center, Undeclared Advising, Early Start, Learning Resource Center, First-Year Experience, Common Read, PolyTransfer, STEM Success, Academic Innovation, Student Innovation Idea lab, Kellogg Honors College, Center for Community Service Learning, Office of Undergraduate Research, and the TRiO-funded Reading and Mentoring Program (RAMP).
Among her many recognitions, in 2021, Dr. Gomez received the UCLA Academic Advancement Program Distinguished Alumni Award and on the observance of César Chávez Day in 2024, she was honored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis for her leadership in empowering vulnerable communities.
Beyond her significant professional accomplishments, her personal attributes, values and experience as both a first-generation college student and professor, make her especially well-suited to lead our academic enterprise. She is passionate about the power of higher education to change lives and has focused her career on expanding educational pipelines, fostering access and equity, and working to better understand and address “pipeline leaks” for underserved, first-generation college students.
I want to thank the members of the search committee for their dedicated service and give special recognition to Professor Aaron DeRosa from the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences for his leadership as chair. I am grateful for the many campus stakeholders who provided input, demonstrating their deep investment in Cal Poly Pomona’s continued polytechnic excellence as an epicenter of creativity, discovery and innovation.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Gomez on her appointment and celebrating her continued contributions to advancing our mission.
Sincerely,
Soraya M. Coley, Ph.D.
President
President
Search Committee Members
Aaron DeRosa (Chair), Professor, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Alyssa Lang, Professor, College of Environmental Design
Amar Raheja, Associate Professor, College of Science
Bharti Sharma, Assistant Professor, College of Science
Christian Enkerlin, Officer of Internal Affairs, Associated Students, Inc.
Frances Teves, VP for University Advancement
Jorge Lomeli, AVP for University Projects & Process Management, IT&IP
Peter Hanink, Assistant Professor, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Rita Kumar, Professor, College of Business Administration
Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Singelyn Family Dean, College of Business Administration
Hebreu Maxis, Admissions Athletic Evaluator, Office of Admissions
Saccara Lim, Executive Assistant, Office of the President, Staff Support
Alyssa Lang, Professor, College of Environmental Design
Amar Raheja, Associate Professor, College of Science
Bharti Sharma, Assistant Professor, College of Science
Christian Enkerlin, Officer of Internal Affairs, Associated Students, Inc.
Frances Teves, VP for University Advancement
Jorge Lomeli, AVP for University Projects & Process Management, IT&IP
Peter Hanink, Assistant Professor, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
Rita Kumar, Professor, College of Business Administration
Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Singelyn Family Dean, College of Business Administration
Hebreu Maxis, Admissions Athletic Evaluator, Office of Admissions
Saccara Lim, Executive Assistant, Office of the President, Staff Support