The California State University Board of Trustees today named Texas Tech
University President Jon Whitmore as president of San José State University.
“It is a distinct honor to be given the opportunity to serve as president of
San José State. All of the fine faculty, staff, and students who my wife
Jennifer and I met during our campus visit indicated a deep commitment to taking
the university to greater levels of academic excellence,” said Whitmore.
“Because of San José State’s unique location as a vibrant city in the heart of
Silicon Valley, the opportunity to further develop a top-tier student-centered
urban university is all but assured.”
Whitmore was one of three finalists for the position who spent last week
visiting the campus. Whitmore will assume the San José presidency in the
summer, and succeeds retiring President Don Kassing who has led the university
since 2004. The Board of Trustees will set Whitmore’s compensation during the
July board meeting, and he will begin his new position on August 1.
“Dr. Whitmore’s outstanding academic credentials, proven leadership
abilities, and commitment to students will be a tremendous asset to the campus
and the community,” said CSU Trustee William Hauck, chair of the presidential
search committee. “His strong administrative skills, management style, and
ability to connect with students combined with a vision for the campus are the
perfect combination to lead San José State into the future.”
Whitmore has served as president of Texas Tech University since 2003 where he
also holds a professorship in theatre. From 1996 to 2003, Whitmore served as
provost and professor of theatre arts at the University of Iowa, and was dean,
College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin from 1990 to 1996.
Whitmore was also dean, Faculty of Arts and Letters at the State University of
New York at Buffalo from 1985 to 1990 where he was also a professor of theatre.
Whitmore was affiliated with West Virginia University from 1974 to 1985, where
he served as interim dean for the College of Creative Arts, interim director of
the Creative Arts Center, faculty member, and as assistant to the president.
His Ph.D. is in theatre history from the University of California, Santa
Barbara; his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in speech, Washington State
University.
For more information on the candidates, go to http://executivesearch.calstate.edu