Cruzado-Salas replaces Flores at NMSU

The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at New Mexico State University will take over as its executive vice president and provost on Sept. 1.

Waded Cruzado-Salas was named to the job on Wednesday by university President Michael Martin.

“It’s clear that any of the finalists could serve us well, but I’m convinced Dr. Cruzado-Salas is exactly the right person for this team at this time in NMSU history,” Martin said in a news release.

Cruzado-Salas was among three finalists Martin interviewed in recent weeks. She had been a finalist for the same position a year ago at the University of Texas- Pan American, but withdrew her name.

“I am honored, pleased and humbled to be able to serve the university in this capacity,” she said. “I will do my utmost to help President Martin achieve the goals he has set forth in his vision. At the same time, I will serve the faculty, staff and students at NMSU with the deepest devotion to academics and to their success.”

During the search process, Cruzado-Salas stressed the need for better integration among the three roles of the land-grant mission – teaching, research and service – as well as the importance of higher education for elevating the quality of life for all New Mexicans. She also talked about the importance of fundraising, citing the establishment of the first three endowed chairs in the College of Arts and Sciences during her four years as dean.

“I have relished my role as dean of arts and sciences,” she said, “and I am sorry to say goodbye to that. But I am looking forward to serving the entire academic community and the community at large in this new undertaking.”

Prior to coming to NMSU, Cruzado-Salas served four years as arts and sciences dean at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. She earned a doctorate in humanities at the University of Texas-Arlington in 1990 and also earned her master’s in Spanish there. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico in 1982 with a bachelor’s in comparative literature.

Cruzado-Salas will be paid about $220,000 annually – the same as her predecessor Bill Flores, who recently left the job to become deputy secretary of higher education for the state.

Flores has a unique working situation – one that’s under review by the state attorney general. He technically remains on staff at NMSU as an assistant to the provost assigned to work with the higher education department. The university is paying his entire $220,000 annual salary for the state, and he works and lives in Las Cruces.