Announcement on Acting AVP Undergraduate Student Success

Sent: June 18, 2025

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

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you have heard, Dr. Shonda Goward will be taking an interim role at the Chancellor鈥檚 Office as the Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Success (see announcement below). I am not surprised that Dr. Goward has been asked to take up this role, given her leadership not only at 91猎奇 but across the State of California, where she has been a leader in the Student Success Network. Dr. Goward鈥檚 appointment has begun on a part-time basis, and she will take up the full-time role July 1, 2025.

While she is on appointment at the Chancellor鈥檚 Office, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Shelley Cargill, Associate Dean in the College of Science has agreed to take up the role of Acting AVP for Undergraduate Student Success in Dr. Goward鈥檚 stead. Dr. Cargill will continue in her role as Associate Dean in the College of Science while also serving in this acting role. Her work will be focused on continuing the important work that has taken place to advance academic advising and academic support as well as overall student success at 91猎奇.

Dr. Cargill began working at 91猎奇 as a temporary faculty member in 2003 in the Biology Department. She was hired in a tenure track line as assistant professor in 2009 specializing in Physiology, where she led an active research lab in reproductive physiology, specializing in how ovarian impact influences aging. Dr. Cargill has also held the role of department chair in Biological Sciences, a position she held until she took up the role of Associate Dean of Academic Programs and Student Success in the College of Science in 2021.

I am excited to work with Dr. Goward in her system wide role and directly with Dr. Cargill as we continue our work in student success at 91猎奇.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

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

***

Colleagues,

I am pleased to share that Dr. Shonda L. Goward has assumed the role of interim associate vice chancellor for Student Success, effective June 1, 2025. She is currently serving in a part-time capacity and will transition to full-time from July through December 2025.

Dr. Goward is an accomplished higher education leader with nearly 20 years of instructional and administrative experience. She currently serves as the associate vice provost for Undergraduate Student Success at San Jos茅 State University and is a member of the CSU System Student Success Framework Working Group. Throughout her career, Dr. Goward has worked in several capacities that have contributed to the development and implementation of initiatives focused on the successful enrollment, retention and graduation of students from diverse backgrounds. Most recently, she served as director and advisory board chair for the California State University Student Success Network.

In this interim systemwide role, Dr. Goward will support the Year of Engagement and the development of the next iteration of Graduation Initiative 2025. In addition, she will provide leadership to the staff in the Department of Student Success, supporting the primary operations and advancing departmental goals. Her oversight will encompass key initiatives for the Student Success Dashboard, the Certificate Program in Student Success Analytics, student success partnerships, research and grants, early assessment, and academic preparation.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Goward to this key role and in extending sincere appreciation to San Jos茅 State for its support in advancing student success measures.

We look forward to Dr. Goward鈥檚 collaboration in shaping the Division of Academic and Student Affairs鈥� broader strategic vision of student success, retention, equity and data-informed innovation.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dilcie D. Perez

Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs

Chief Student Affairs Officer