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Dr. John D. Welty has been president of California State University, Fresno since July 29, 1991. He is also a professor in the School of Education and Human Development.
Fresno State enrolls more than 21,000 students and offers 56 undergraduate degrees and 46 master degree programs in addition to a joint doctorate in Educational Leadership with the University of California. The campus is located on 1,500 acres and academic programs are housed in eight colleges and schools.
During this period the University has completed a major planning effort, expanded minority enrollment, created an Honors College, revised its general education requirements, added new academic programs, institutes and facilities, introduced service learning into the curriculum and expanded community service opportunities for students, initiated faculty development efforts, improved services for students, streamlined administrative processes, launched a major commitment to expand the use of information technology, established the Central California Futures Institute, entered the Western Athletic Conference, expanded intercollegiate Athletic opportunities and facilities for women, led the effort to build the Save Mart Center, and dramatically increased private fund raising and grant and contract funding. The university has been actively involved in addressing issues in Central California.
Dr. Welty is recognized nationally as a leader in planning for the future, teacher education reform, information technology planning, substance abuse prevention, service learning and collective bargaining. He served on the Cornerstones Group which created the CSUŐs strategic plan and he has served on several advisory groups to the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture. He has been involved extensively in teacher preparation reform. He is past-chair of the Renaissance Group which is a national organization of 30 Universities dedicated to improved teacher education programs. He co-chaired the CSUŐs effort to create CALState Teach, an innovative program designed for emergency credentialed teachers. He serves as Chair of the CSU Gender Equity Monitoring Committee. In addition, he has chaired three national conferences on substance abuse and prevention and chaired a CSU effort to review alcohol policies and programs.
He has been a leader in promoting service learning and volunteer service for students. Governor Gray Davis appointed him as a Commissioner for the GovernorŐs Office on Service and Volunteerism (GO SERV) in 2000. He was elected to serve as WASC Commissioner in 2000. He serves as vice-chair of BACCHUS-GAMMA Peer Education Network. He chairs the American Humanics, Inc. Board. He serves on the Board of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Locally, Dr. Welty has been a leader in establishing the Fresno Business Council, the Central Valley Incubator, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, the Collaborative Regional Initiative and several other partnerships.
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 Amboy, 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 bachelorŐs degree in Social Science from Western Illinois University, Macomb in 1965; his masterŐs 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.
Dr. Welty has co-authored a book titled Alcohol and Other Drugs: A Guide for College Presidents and Governing Boards; written a chapter in the book titled Realizing the Educational Potential of Residence Halls, and is the author of numerous articles and papers on University Students, Student Affairs Programs, and the Future of Higher Education.
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. He has also consulted with many institutions and served on the boards of several campus and community organizations.
Dr. Welty and his wife, Dr. Sharon Brown-Welty, have five children.
