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Ron Darbeau, chancellor and dean at Penn State Altoona, has been named associate vice president for Commonwealth Campuses in Penn State's Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.
Darbeau started his new duties Thursday and will continue to serve as chancellor and dean at Altoona. He succeeds David Callejo Perez, who was appointed chancellor and dean at Penn State Harrisburg.
"I am extremely humbled and grateful to Vice President (Margo) DelliCarpini for this opportunity to serve the Commonwealth Campuses as her associate vice president," Darbeau said. "I accept the role clear-eyed both with respect to the challenges we face as well as to the opportunities they present to reimagine and remake the campuses into a fluid, interconnected student-centric ecosystem vibrant with place-focused services and academic programming."
Darbeau said he is looking forward to the hybrid role where he will work with DelliCarpini and other chancellors to bring a new era of efficiency and prosperity to the Commonwealth Campuses.
Altoona will remain a priority for Darbeau, said DelliCarpini. In addition to leading the local campus, he will be responsible for development, approval and review of new academic programs at 20 geographically distributed Commonwealth Campuses; implementation of the Academic Program and Portfolio Review outcomes; accreditation matters; and oversight of inter-institutional articulation agreements for the 20 campuses. He also will collaborate with central University offices, councils, academic leadership and the Penn State Faculty Senate on a variety of curricular affairs matters.
This three-year term leadership appointment advances the goal of transforming operations across the campuses and within the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses by streamlining the leadership structure, reducing administrative overhead and providing enhanced opportunities for collaboration across all locations, according to a news release from Penn State. Darbeau's role will also help provide a sustainable future for the organization and allows for flexibility to respond to impending needs and opportunities.
Continued commitment to PSU Altoona
As chancellor and dean of Penn State Altoona, Darbeau will work with faculty, staff and the community to accomplish the goals outlined in the college's ambitious Vision 2030.
"The campus is perfectly poised to usher in a period of unprecedented growth made possible by the incredible campus and broader community," Darbeau said. "The work we've begun together is already bearing significant fruit and I am thrilled and committed to continue our efforts to herald a bright future for our college and our students."
Since joining Penn State Altoona in January 2023, Darbeau has implemented a number of new initiatives, including the creation of the Student Success Center; the hiring of the college's first director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; the creation of the Belonging Center; the ongoing expansion of athletics programs; and the implementation of the digital equity initiative.
A physical organic chemist, Darbeau is a fellow of the American Chemical Society, the recipient of numerous awards and honors and serves, or has served, on many committees, councils and boards at the local, state and national levels.
A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Darbeau holds a bachelor's degree with honors in chemistry from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, and both master's and doctoral degrees in organic chemistry from Johns Hopkins University.
Darbeau resides in Boalsburg with his wife, Nyla, an academic adviser in Penn State's Center for Student Advising and Engagement in the College of Health and Human Development. The couple have four children.