Sharon Brown-Welty, who has served as the dean of Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus since July 2014, announced that she is retiring June 30.
Brown-Welty has been instrumental in moving the Palm Desert Campus forward through her engagement with students and the community at large.
CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales praised Brown-Welty for her hard work and dedication in supporting students and the desert communities.
“Sharon has done an amazing job in the Coachella Valley. She has elevated virtually every aspect of our PDC community, including student life, academic enrichment and community engagement,” Morales said. “Sharon has given our PDC students a remarkable experience, advocating on their behalf and bringing a new sense of community and family. Our students’ experience has been made richer thanks to Sharon’s passion and hard work.”
CSUSB Provost Shari McMahan echoed the president’s praise.
“Through Sharon’s efforts in leading our Palm Desert Campus, more and more students in the valley see a college degree as something that they can strive for and achieve. The staff at our Palm Desert Campus really go the extra mile for our students to create a warm, nurturing and positive student environment,” McMahan said. “Thanks to Sharon’s commitment, the PDC continues to evolve as a leader in the Coachella Valley.”
“It has been my great privilege to serve as dean of the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus,” said Brown-Welty. “The faculty and staff at PDC are hardworking and dedicated to higher education and Coachella Valley students. Faculty and staff’s love and commitment to this campus is the reason it is an outstanding university in the Coachella Valley. The community’s support in building and expanding the campus is unprecedented, and all of these partnerships made my job as dean enjoyable. I will continue to work on campus as a faculty member, and in addition to some teaching, I will be working on campus program development.”
During her time as dean, Brown-Welty brought many new and innovative programs to the campus, including the Student Success Studio for instructional support and tutoring, the PAWS Radio Station, the Student Ambassadors Society, the student Recreation and Fitness Center, and the Leadership and Community Service certificate program.
She was instrumental in initiating the campus’ hospitality management program and the doctorate in nursing practice degree. She also oversaw the creation of the University Legacy Scholars program and expanded the number of members and the role of the PDC Advancement Board. Campus enrollments have grown 60 percent and there are 20 new student clubs on campus.
Brown-Welty’s recent awards include the Outstanding Educator and Inductee into the Rotary Education Hall of Fame, the 2016 SBEMP Impact Award and being selected as the 2017 Education Leader by the Palm Springs Women Leaders Forum.
Since her appointment as dean, Brown-Welty has chaired the OneFuture Coachella Valley Committee on Education: College Access and Completion and has also chaired the Committee on Successful Transitions. She served on the Health Assessment and Research for Communities (HARC) Board, the Lift to Rise Leadership Table, the OneFuture Coachella Valley Oversight Committee, the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) Board as an Honorary Member, the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau Board, as well as several committees of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative.
Bruce Shepard will serve as the interim dean, effective Aug. 1. Shepard brings a wealth of experience to the desert campus, having served as the president of Western Washington University (2008-16), chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay (2001-08), as well as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Eastern Oregon University (1995-2001).
A national search for a new dean is expected to begin this fall.
Located in beautiful Palm Desert, the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, and teacher credentials and certificates. With more than 1,400 students, it is the Coachella Valley’s four-year public university and plays a vital role in educating and training the region’s growing population.
For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the campus’ Office of Public Affairs at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the campus website at pdc.csusb.edu.
