Announcing the New Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Accreditation Liaison Officer

Sent: December 12, 2025

From: Vincent J. Del Casino, Jr., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Magdalena Barrera will be starting as the new Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Accreditation Liaison Officer beginning January 2026. Dr. Barrera has served the past six years in the Office of the Provost and I am excited to continue our partnership as she takes on greater responsibilities in the division and on campus! 

As Vice Provost for Faculty Success since 2020, Dr. Barrera has worked to embed access, transparency, and institutional excellence into the structures that shape faculty life at SJSU. In this capacity, she has supported in her role more than 400 tenure-track/tenured recruitments, onboarded over 300 new tenure-line faculty through the university’s signature Jump Start program, and supported the process for ~600 faculty engaging in the retention, tenure, and promotion process. Her vision for the Center for Faculty Excellence and Teaching Innovation has resulted in new support structures for lecturers and mid-career faculty, as well as improved communication on professional development opportunities for faculty. Working collaboratively with University Personnel, she has improved the evaluation support infrastructure for faculty through enhanced training and new tools for review committees. In addition to leading Faculty Success, Dr. Barrera has directed SJSU’s Accessible Technology Initiative and Hispanic Serving Institution efforts, including the university’s successful first application for the Seal of Excelencia. At the national level, Dr. Barrera has served on the Committee on Faculty Affairs for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and frequently facilitates workshops and presentations on best practices for navigating higher education. She is the co-author of The Latinx Guide to Graduate School (Duke University Press, 2023), which offers a roadmap for surviving and thriving in advanced degree programs.

I want to thank the entire search committee, and its chair Dr. Ellen Middaugh, for their work on this search as well as to everyone who provided feedback into this process. Dr. Barrera and I will be working together closely in January and throughout the spring to transition the units that of which she will have direct oversight moving forward. The campus has grown significantly over the past six+ years as has the division. I am excited to continue in partnership with everyone as we find new ways to invest in the excellence of all our faculty, staff, and students!

Sincerely,
Vin