About the President

Dr. John D. Welty has been president of California State University, Fresno since July 29, 1991. He is also a professor in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Located on on 1,500 acres, Fresno State enrolls more than 21,000 students and offers 61 undergraduate degrees, 45 master's degree programs, and three doctoral degrees. Academic programs are housed in eight schools and colleges. Since 1991 the university has become recognized as one of the nation's most engaged universities, expanded minority enrollment, created an honors college, revised its general education requirements, added new academic programs and institutes, and constructed $404.3 million in facilities, including a new $102 million library.

In addition, since 1991 the university has introduced service-learning into the curriculum and expanded community service opportunities for students, improved services for students, streamlined administrative processes, launched a major commitment to expand the use of information technology, earned membership in the Mountain West Conference, expanded intercollegiate athletic opportunities and facilities for women, led the effort to build the Save Mart Center, and dramatically increased private fundraising and grant and contract funding. The university has been actively involved in addressing issues in Central California and engaging itself with the entire region.

 

A commitment to higher education, Fresno State, and the region.

Dr. Welty has served on both of the CSU system's major strategic planning efforts. He participated in the creation of the Voluntary System of Accountability, which has been adopted by more 200 colleges and universities. He is called upon frequently to discuss the role of engaged universities. He has served on several advisory groups to the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture. He is past chair of the Renaissance Group, which is a national organization of more than 30 universities dedicated to improved teacher education programs. He co-chaired the CSU's effort to create CALState Teach, an innovative program designed for emergency-credentialed teachers and chaired a CSU group on preparing educational leaders. He serves as chair of the CSU Gender Equity Monitoring Committee and also serves on the executive board of the Central California Campus Compact. In addition, he has chaired three national conferences on substance abuse and prevention and chaired a CSU effort to review alcohol policies and programs.

Dr. Welty is a national leader in higher education. He was elected to serve as Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) commissioner in 2000 and served a three-year term as the WASC Commission chair. He is past chair of the American Humanics, Inc. board and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and WAC board of directors. He served on the NCAA board executive committee and the special NCAA Task Force on the Future of Intercollegiate Athletics. Locally, Dr. Welty has been a leader in establishing the Fresno Business Council, the Central Valley Business Incubator, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the Collaborative Regional Initiative, the Regional Jobs Initiative, the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute and several other partnerships.

In 1999, Dr. Welty was presented the Chief Executive Leadership Award by the Council for Advancement and Support for Education and was recognized by the John Templeton Foundation for his leadership in Student Character Development in Schools and Colleges. In 2001, he was recognized by the California State Student Association as President of the Year. In 2003 he received the Fresno Business Council's Excellence in Public Service Award. In 2007 he received the Fresno Compact's Harold H. Haak Award for Outstanding Business Partnership Educator of the Year. In 2008 he was named an American Humanics 60th Anniversary Honoree and in 2009 he was named an ACPA Educational Leadership Foundation Diamond Honoree. In 2010 he received the Sequoia Award from the Great Valley Center and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Western Illinois University. He has also consulted with many institutions and served on the boards of several campus and community organizations.

Previously, Dr. Welty served as president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) for seven years. Prior to assuming the presidency of IUP, he served as Vice President for Student and University Affairs for four years.

A native of Amboi, Illinois, Dr. Welty has served as an admissions counselor at Michigan State University, East Lansing, and as assistant vice president for student affairs at Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota. At the State University of New York, Albany, he was director of residences, associate dean for student affairs, and assistant professor of counseling and student development.

Dr. Welty received his bachelor's degree in social science from Western Illinois University, Macomb, in 1965; his master's in college student personnel services from Michigan State University in 1967; and his doctorate in administration of higher education from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1974.

(updated March 2011)