Dr. Havidán Rodríguez is the 20th president of the University at Albany, one of the nation’s most diverse R1 universities. Under Dr. Rodríguez’s leadership, UAlbany has launched a campus-wide artificial intelligence initiative, opened two state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, and become the first R1 institution in the northeast to earn the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to Latina and Latino student success. In 2023, he led the return of the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering to UAlbany, where it merged with an existing college to form the new College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, solidifying UAlbany as an essential partner in semiconductor and nanoscale research and contributing to Albany’s selection in 2024 as the site of a federal CHIPS & Science Act-funded National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC).
During Dr. Rodríguez’s tenure, UAlbany has extended the reach and impact of its globally significant research while also becoming a national leader for educational equity and social mobility.
Dr. Rodríguez has over 30 years of experience as a leader in higher education. He serves in leadership roles on numerous professional organizations, including the boards of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), Excelencia in Education, Campus Compact, and the America East Conference. He also serves as Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and is a member of the Presidents and Chancellors Council on Public Impact Research established by the Pew Charitable Trusts. In 2022, Dr. Rodríguez was appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. Led by Dr. Rodríguez, the Commission successfully advocated for the creation of a President’s Board of Advisors on Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which was established via Executive Order on July 17, 2024.
Dr. Rodríguez is co-chair of the New York State Capital Region Council for Economic Development (CREDC).
Dr. Rodríguez is a respected social scientist and scholar of disaster response and resiliency. Before coming to UAlbany, Dr. Rodríguez served as the founding provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) after having served as president, ad interim, and provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA). Prior to UTPA, Dr. Rodríguez served in various leadership roles at the University of Delaware, including deputy provost, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs, and director of the Disaster Research Center (DRC). He also held several administrative and leadership positions while on the faculty at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM) for over a decade.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Rodríguez earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Born in Puerto Rico and raised on the island and the U.S. mainland, Dr. Rodríguez is fully fluent in English and Spanish.
