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Dr. Jeronima “Jeri” Echeverria, daughter of Basque immigrants and an expert on Basque settlement in the American West, was named associate vice chancellor for academic affairs in the California State University (CSU) system. Her principal role will be as advisor to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs on policy development and strategies, and to provide operational direction and management to departments in this area. The California State University is the largest system of higher education in the US, with 23 campuses, approximately 450,000 students and 46,000 faculty and staff. Echeverria officially began her job on February 1, 2009 being welcomed by tight budgets and potential cuts. Now in Long Beach she will be closer to her southern California roots.

Los Angeles, California. Having grown up on a sheep ranch in Brea Canyon, Echeverria learned a great deal about appreciating the value of education.  She earned a B.A. degree in Humanities/History from the University of California, Irvine, Teaching Credentials in Social Sciences and Educational Administration from California Teaching Credentials, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from University of North Texas.

It was during a visit to the Basque Country that she decided to return to graduate school and study her heritage in depth, and that is what she did.  Since and during her graduate studies at the University of North Texas, where she earned her doctorate in History, every one of her publications has been on Basque-related topics.   Her books include Home Away from Home: A History of Basque Boarding Houses; Portraits of Basques in the American West; and Home Off the Range: Basque Hotels in America.  She also has published several articles on Basque settlement in the American West and is frequently invited to speak on Basque-American topics

Fresno Provost and Vice President

In 1988, Echeverria joined the Department of History at California State University, Fresno, and has served as Chair of the Department, as Associate Dean of the College of Social Sciences, and as the Associate Provost.  Since 2003, she served Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the faculty and students of the CSU in this challenging assignment,” said Echeverria. “I am also grateful for the experiences I have had at Fresno State that have prepared me to work on academic issues for our university system and for the State of California.”