91福利社

Mark Figueroa, Ph.D., has been hired as the vice president of Planning & Development, a new managerial position for 91福利社. The vice president of Planning & Development will lead the College's strategic planning efforts and institutional effectiveness and additional responsibility centered around student success and support, workforce development, marketing, grants, and college advancement efforts.

鈥淢y primary emphasis will be determining how we can meet the mission of the institution as we move forward,鈥� Figueroa said. 鈥淥bviously, the institution has developed a strategic plan, built off community input, so part of my job will be helping to hold the institution accountable while developing metrics to ensure goals are being met.

鈥淭he challenge bringing enrollment back to pre-pandemic numbers. And, to do that we need to develop a new narrative that includes rethinking education delivery methods. Part of the process is going to entail looking at what was learned from COVID.鈥�

Figueroa, who has spent the last 10 years at Lewis & Clark College, a private institution in Portland, OR, is familiar with the Inland Empire. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in Philosophy-Law and Society with a minor in Chicano Studies from UC Riverside.

He went on to earn a master鈥檚 degree from Arizona State University in Public Administration, with a concentration in Management. He then attended Claremont Graduate University, earning his Ph.D. in Education, specializing in Higher Education and Administration.

A published author, Figueroa has also presented on topics ranging from data utilization to student success.

鈥淎 lot of the mythology of higher education is that we can鈥檛 change on a dime, but I don鈥檛 think that is true,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e basically flipped our industry with a three-week notice. So, I think the challenge is to learn how to leverage the technology we were forced to use during COVID as a supplement or compliment, not a full replacement, in order to reach a broader audience and allow students to learn at their pace while balancing life responsibilities.鈥�

鈥淭his is really going to be about working across the College to breakdown some of the silos that exist in our structure of higher education. I think we need to help individuals understand how they manage their short-term needs while keeping an eye on their long-term goals. We need to move away from 鈥業 don鈥檛 think we can do that鈥� to 鈥榟ow can we do that.鈥欌��

Figueroa is also a sought-after consultant, working previously with San Mateo Community College District, Pasadena City College, Walla Walla Community College, and other institutions on equity, opportunity and access. He began his career as a research assistant at Arizona State University but progressed into the fields of institutional research, equity and inclusion, and assessment. In 2011, he left Scripps College to become the director of Institutional Research at Lewis & Clark College. He was promoted to associate provost and then to associate vice president of research and planning. In 2019 he was also named dean of Equity & Inclusion. Figueroa managed the operations of two divisions and also served as the Title IX coordinator until last year.

鈥淒r. Figueroa has an extensive background in new planning and strategies to move the College forward in innovative ways,鈥� Robin Steinback, Ph.D., president, said. 鈥淚t is important that we have leadership who can make critical decisions and provide a short- and long-term implementation plans. Effective planning requires regular assessment to ensure that the College continues to fulfill its mission and achieve its goals. This takes dedication to the planning process and a commitment by all segments of the College community.鈥�

Figueroa begins his appointment on December 6.