Office of the President
Elevating excellence through innovation and access
For more than a century, NAU has fostered a community rooted in academic excellence and innovation. We're proud of our legacy and even more excited about what is next.
Driven by equitable access and powered by economic mobility, we continue to elevate excellence by expanding community partnerships, inspiring research discoveries, and preparing students to make a lasting impact.
Northern Arizona University’s 17th president
President Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera
President Cruz Rivera joined Northern Arizona University (NAU) in June 2021. In his first year, he led the development of the Elevating Excellence strategic roadmap in collaboration with university stakeholders. This bold vision for a “new NAU” has inspired transformative efforts to deliver postsecondary value, including broadening access to record numbers of Arizona students, implementing innovative admissions and financial aid practices, and launching statewide partnerships to boost attainment. Dr. Cruz Rivera also serves as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at NAU and currently teaches a freshman course on digital logic circuits.
Before joining NAU, Dr. Cruz Rivera was President of The City University of New York’s (CUNY) Herbert H. Lehman College (Bronx, NY) and Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost of the 25-college, 500,000-student CUNY system, the largest urban university in the world.
He previously served as Provost of California State University, Fullerton; Vice President of Higher Education Policy and Practice at The Education Trust in Washington, DC; and Chief Student Affairs Officer for the University of Puerto Rico system. His academic career began as a faculty member in engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, where he rose through the ranks to become Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and Dean of Academic Affairs.
A nationally recognized advocate for accessible, affordable, quality education, Dr. Cruz Rivera is a frequent keynote speaker and writer on higher education issues. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and secured funding for his work from prominent organizations, including the National Science Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. His efforts have been featured in outlets such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Monthly, and Univision.
Dr. Cruz Rivera serves on the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the steering committee of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. He has also served on numerous boards, including The Education Trust, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), The Data Quality Campaign, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Postsecondary Value Commission.
A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Dr. Cruz Rivera is a patented inventor, published scholar, and National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, and his master’s and doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology, specializing in optical interconnections for ultracompact massively parallel processing systems.
President's cabinet
The President's Cabinet is compromised of leaders from NAU's strategic, operational, and advisory teams. Together, this group provides university-wide leadership, advancing and aligning efforts across academic and administrative areas in pursuit of NAU's mission. The Cabinet plays a critical role in driving the vision of Elevating Excellence and ensuring meaningful service of students, communities, and the people of Arizona and beyond.
Presidential leadership and university governance
Presidential leadership and university governance provide the strategic direction and institutional oversight necessary to fulfill NAU's mission and ensure accountability, transparency, and student-centered decision-making. Together, presidential leadership and university governance ensure NAU remains responsive to the needs of its students and community while maintaining excellence in teaching, research, and service.
Contact the President's Office
To request a meeting or student interview, invite the president to attend an event, or make a general inquiry, please submit a contact form.
To connect with President Cruz Rivera or his team, email president@nau.edu or call 928-523-3232. For meeting requests, interviews, or event invitations, reach out directly to the Office of the President.