Olguin Named Director of Operations for Student Affairs
June 12, 2023 - Dorene DiNaro
After a competitive nationwide search, Florencio Olguin Jr. has been named as the Director of Operations for Student Affairs. As a seasoned Lobo, Olguin has been a part of The University of New Mexico community for the past 15 years as a student, fellow, staff member, and adjunct faculty. He will begin the Operations Director role on July 1.
Olguin is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Administration at New Mexico State University where he was selected as a Jackson Scholar with the University Council for Educational Administration. He earned both his master’s degree in Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Journalism & Mass Communication at UNM. He has also held adjunct faculty appointments in First Year Experience at UNM and Central New Mexico Community College.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to join UNM Student Affairs – a division whose programs and services invested in me as a first-generation college student from Santa Rosa, New Mexico,” Olguin says. “I look forward to working collaboratively with colleagues across the division to deliver operational efficiencies as well as amplify the collective impact that Student Affairs programs have on the student experience at UNM.”
Olguin most recently served in the role of Academic Operations Officer for the College of Fine Arts as advisor to the dean, directing all administrative functions of the College including human resources, fiscal planning, faculty affairs, and facilities management. He was charged with guiding CFA’s effort to obtain legislative funding toward the construction of a Center for Collaborative Arts and Technology, which resulted in voter approval of $45 million in General Obligation bonds. Olguin also facilitated engagement with faculty, staff, students, and community members to establish a shared vision for CFA through its most recent master and strategic planning process. Prior to his position with CFA, he was the Director of Student Services for the Anderson School of Management where he oversaw academic advisement, career services, graduate admissions, and student recruitment.
“Florencio Olguin has contributed immensely to the College of Fine Arts through his work informing our strategic direction and guiding us in the capital planning process for a new facility,” said College of Fine Arts Dean Harris Smith. “While he will be greatly missed by CFA, I am confident that Florencio’s new role in Student Affairs will enable him to build upon partnerships with degree-granting units in order to improve academic and co-curricular student outcomes at UNM.”
As the division’s inaugural operations director, Olguin will be responsible for designing and implementing initiatives that coordinate and align division-level projects, strategic planning, assessment and evaluation, grant writing and management, professional development, and divisional communication.
“Florencio will be instrumental in directing and coordinating all administrative functions for the division and advancing our communication, strategic planning, assessment, and operational processes. I am pleased that Florencio will bring a wealth of UNM experience that will position him to have an immediate impact on the division,” said Dr. Eric Scott, Vice President for Student Affairs.
Olguin will also serve as the HR division representative and will be critical in leading division-level committees and initiatives to enhance the support, development, cohesiveness, and success of division staff.
