Junius Gonzales Named Montclair State's New Provost, Senior VP

MONTCLAIR, N.J. —Montclair State University announced Wednesday that Junius Gonzales has been named the school's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, which is the second-highest-ranking officer at the university behind the president.

Gonzales, who will begin working in his new position on March 7, 2022, comes to Montclair from New York Institute of Technology, where he currently serves as that school's provost and vice president of academic affairs.

At Montclair State, Gonzales will replace Kimberly Hollister, who has served as the acting provost since July when William Gingerich stepped down to return to the faculty.

"Joining Montclair State University is a tremendous honor," Gonzales said. "I am impressed by Montclair's rising trajectory, which includes outstanding student success, remarkable growth in research and scholarship and increasing recognition in national rankings.

"The University's designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, its diversity and inclusivity and its sense of community and belonging resonate deeply with me, given my personal journey as a first-generation college student from a minority background."

Gonzales began his distinguished 30-year career as a psychiatrist, treating patients and conducting research in Georgetown University's academic medical center. He later joined the National Institutes of Health, eventually becoming its director of the Division of Services and Intervention Research in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

In academia, he has served as a dean at the University of South Florida and as the chief academic officer at the University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP) —which is a Hispanic-Serving Institution like Montclair State.

Gonzales also spent time as the vice president for Academic Affairs in the University of North Carolina System, one of the nation's largest, comprising 16 colleges and universities and approximately 235,000 students. In 2016, he served as the UNC System's interim president.

"I am thrilled that Junius Gonzales will be joining the senior leadership team," said Montclair State President Jonathan Koppell. "His broad-ranging experience, track record of innovation and his commitment to working collaboratively to support students and faculty will positively impact the entire university community.

"I am looking forward to working closely with him as we elevate Montclair to become a national model of an innovative 21st-century public university."

Gonzales holds degrees from Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and the University of Maryland. He received advanced training in psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.