Barbara Rodriguez named UNM Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

University of New Mexico President Garnett S. Stokes has formally appointed Dr. Barbara Rodriguez as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective June 1, upon the recommendation of incoming President Steve Goldstein.

"When Steve Goldstein told me that Barbara Rodriguez was his choice, I didn't hesitate," said President Stokes. "I ran this search with one goal: to give our incoming president a provost he could hit the ground running with. He made the call, and it was the right one. Barbara is a distinguished scholar and a trusted leader who has given everything to this university in support of our state and its people. It is my honor to make this appointment official."

Incoming President Steve Goldstein, who interviewed all the finalists, shared his thoughts on the decision. "President Stokes gave me something invaluable - a search conducted with rigor and care, and the trust to make the final call," said Goldstein. "Barbara Rodriguez stood out for her deep institutional knowledge, her commitment to academic excellence, and her clear vision for where UNM needs to go. I look forward to hitting the ground running alongside Barbara as a true partner in advancing this university."

Rodriguez was selected following a national search conducted in partnership with Isaacson Miller. The search attracted a highly qualified pool of candidates from across the country, and finalists participated in open forums that gave faculty, staff, students, and community members the opportunity to engage directly and provide feedback. Incoming-President Goldstein participated in finalist interviews, ensuring continuity of leadership and full alignment between the outgoing and incoming administrations. The search was chaired by Katie Witkiewitz, a distinguished professor of Psychology and the director of the Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions.

Rodriguez has served as interim provost since July 2025. Prior to that, she served as senior vice provost for academic affairs beginning in 2018, overseeing faculty personnel matters including tenure and promotion, faculty labor relations, and academic policies and procedures.

A native of Española, New Mexico, Rodriguez's connection to this state runs deep - and has shaped her career from the beginning. Before joining the UNM faculty, she worked as a bilingual clinician throughout New Mexico, including in K-12 public education settings, and directed the UNM Speech Language and Hearing Clinic from 1992 to 1994. Her scholarly work has focused on cultural competence and humility, bilingual language acquisition, and bilingual language assessment - research with direct implications for the diverse communities UNM serves. She also co-developed a joint UNM-NMSU graduate training program in bilingual speech-language pathology.

A professor of speech and hearing sciences at UNM, Rodriguez chaired the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences from 2012 to 2018 and has been a member of the UNM faculty since 1999. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Disorders and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of New Mexico, and her Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Washington - returning to her alma mater as a tenure-track faculty member after completing her doctorate.

"It is an honor to serve the university in this capacity," said Rodriguez. "UNM has been my professional home for more than 25 years, and I have seen firsthand the difference this institution makes in the lives of students and communities across New Mexico. I am committed to working alongside Dr. Goldstein and the entire Lobo community to build on our momentum and ensure UNM continues to deliver on its promise to the people of this state."

As provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, Rodriguez serves as UNM's chief academic officer, with responsibility for academic programs, faculty affairs, research, and student success.