Vincent Del Casino Jr.

Vincent Del Casino Jr.

Media contacts:

Robin McElhatton, SJSU Media Relations Specialist, 408-924-1749, robin.mcelhatton@sjsu.edu

San Jose, Calif.— San Jose State University has named Vincent Del Casino, Jr. as the university’s next provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs after a competitive, comprehensive and national search. Del Casino is currently interim senior vice provost and vice president for Academic Initiatives and Student Success at University of Arizona. He will join SJSU to begin his duties as provost starting on July 15.

Del Casino will report directly to President Mary A. Papazian, serving as a key member of the leadership team with primary responsibility for ensuring academic excellence in undergraduate and graduate studies as well as continual investment in research, scholarship, and creative activity that benefits all students and society at large.

“Vincent will join us at an extraordinary time in our history, as we unveil a new strategic plan that captures our bold vision for SJSU’s next decade. I have great confidence that he will bring a strong foundation to this key leadership position while fostering collaboration across colleges and departments. Vincent is a visionary who will chart a course for our Academic Affairs division into the future,” President Mary A. Papazian said. “He is an exemplary fit to lead our continuing efforts to support students and faculty, build community partnerships, and expand innovative teaching and learning at our university.”

At the University of Arizona, Del Casino provided leadership and administrative oversight as the campus redeveloped central spaces for student support activities; re-organized its central administrative areas; and enhanced student success and retention. During his tenure, the university greatly increased its online undergraduate enrollment and program offerings. He was also integral in implementing the University of Arizona’s 100% Engagement Initiative that allows students to participate in “extra-classroom” activities through credit-bearing and non-credit engaged learning experiences. With more than 18 years of academic and administrative experience in higher education, Del Casino also served as a professor and chair at California State University, Long Beach, in the Department of Geography.

“I am thrilled to be joining the San José State University community as the next provost,” Del Casino said. “I am excited to begin working with faculty and staff to advance the mission of the campus, to serve our students, and deliver on the promise of high-quality, high-value degrees to the next generation of undergraduate and graduate students.”

When Del Casino visited campus, he said he recognized SJSU is a very special place with a bright future. “The faculty are engaged in outstanding scholarly and creative activity while also supporting a highly diverse undergraduate and graduate student population,” he said. “The students are passionate and committed to their campus, and the staff are doing exceptional work in support of the larger enterprise in ways that make possible the campus’ future growth. I look forward to joining this community.”

Del Casino is a prolific writer and researcher who has authored the book Social Geography: A Critical Introduction. He has also edited and co-authored multiple books and published dozens of articles and book chapters on topics ranging from health, robots and tourism, in the context of geography. His numerous commentaries on higher education have been published in The Evolllution and Inside Higher Education, including “Machine Learning, Big Data, and the Future of Higher Education.”

Prior to earning his doctorate in geography from the University of Kentucky, Vincent received his master’s in geography from the University of Wisconsin and bachelor’s in international relations and East Asian studies from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.


About San Jose State University

The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, San Jose State provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study – offered through its eight colleges.

With more than 35,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, San Jose State University continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing 10,000 graduates to the workforce.

The university is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its more than 260,000 alumni, 60 percent of whom live and work in the Bay Area.