Dr. Carlos Vargas-Aburto, Kutztown University provost, has been named acting president of the college in northeastern Berks County.
Effective July 1, Vargas-Aburto will take over administration of the 9,000-student campus on a temporary basis.
He succeeds Dr. F. Javier Cevallos, Kutztown’s president, who’s leaving to become president of Framingham State University in Massachusetts. Cevallos had been president since 2002, making him the longest-serving president in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
“I am honored to be asked to serve as Kutztown University’s acting president,” Vargas-Aburto said in a news release issued by the university. “I look forward to continue working with our talented faculty and staff in maintaining service to our students and the community.”
His appointment follows the university’s administrative line of succession. As provost, he was first in line to fill a presidential vacancy.
As acting president, Vargas-Aburto will serve until a permanent successor to Cevallos is found.
In conjunction with the state system, Kutztown’s council of trustees has launched a national search for a new president. The search could take more than six months.
John Wabby, who leads Kutztown’s council of trustees, announced Vargas-Aburto’s appointment Tuesday.
“We are extremely pleased to have Carlos Vargas accept the role of acting president,” Wabby said. “He brings a wealth of experience to the position, as well as outstanding institutional knowledge.”
Earlier this year, Vargas-Aburto was a finalist for the presidency of the University of Minnesota at Moorhead.
Chief academic officer since 2006, Vargas-Aburto came to Kutztown from Central State University in Ohio.
Prior to that, he held positions at Kent State University in Ohio for 18 years.
Director of its program on electron beam technology, he was also Kent State’s interim assistant dean of technology and continued to teach until his departure.
Vargas-Aburto began his academic career at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in 1971. He went on to become the university’s senior associate researcher in its Institute for Geophysics
He holds a master of science degree and a doctorate in physics and aerospace science from the University of Michigan.
