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News

Apodaca embraces change in position

Associate vice president for enrollment management at UH 
makes the jump to UHD

By Portia Elaine-Gant
Senior Staff Writer

Ed Apodaca, who has been in the UH System for nine years and in higher education for more than 40, begins a new chapter in his career today as vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at UH-Downtown.

Apodaca went to UHD from UH, where he was associate vice president for enrollment management.

"I will be a part of the cabinet, which puts me in the position of being in a decision making area which is exciting and challenging," Apodaca said. "Of course, I will be looking at, in a broader perspective, student services, student government and everything that deals with student life as well as recruitment, retention and financial aid."

Under Apodaca's direction, the Office of Enrollment Management at UH has significantly changed the demographics of first-time-in-college students by increasing first-time Asian, black, and Hispanic student numbers by 73, 69 and 56 percent, respectively. Overall, first-time enrollment increased by 47 percent.

Interest in the University also increased under Apodaca's management, with fall applications rising to 21,908 in 2004 from 16,890 in 1995 -- a 29.7 percent increase.

In that period, the number of students receiving degrees from UH increased by 16 percent overall, with the number of Asian, black and Hispanic students earning degrees rising by 49, 39 and 26 percent, respectively.

That dedication to diversifying the campus is a passion of Apodaca's that is visible in his work in higher education and the community.

Though the position at UHD will mean more responsibility for Apodaca, it isn't new territory for him. He has headed enrollment management units in the offices of recruitment, admissions, financial aid, records and affirmative action in the University of California System, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and San Francisco State University.

"A long time ago, when I was at UC Riverside, I became associate vice chancellor for student affairs, and I was about 35. My family and I had to decide whether we wanted to stay there and be vice chancellor for the next 30 years or if we should move," Apodaca said.

"We made it a practice to move every five to seven years. Much of that was a part of growth and new opportunities. After a certain period of time, you are no longer contributing. You're becoming part of the problem because you've been there so long you're not trying to make changes."

Moving also gave Apodaca, his wife and their four children an opportunity to see various parts of the country. Though there is a belief that moving through the ranks at one institution is the best career path, Apodaca said he strongly recommends changing scenery when working in higher education.

"From a professional standpoint, you learn how similar institutions are and how different they are," Apodaca said. "There is not just one way of doing things."

A University spokesman said Monday no decision has been made yet on how to fill Apodaca's position.
 

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