Rafes named senior vice president for administration

Richard Rafes has been named UNT senior vice president for administration — a reformulated position that assumes the duties of the previous vice president for administrative affairs and includes the responsibility of aiding in the operations of the Office of the President. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the UNT System Board of Regents.

As senior vice president, Rafes will be responsible for oversight of UNT Facilities, UNT Police, Parking and Transportation, the Human Resources Department, Risk Management and Environmental Services, and the Equal Opportunity Services Office. He also will lead key university initiatives and provide support in the day-to-day operations of the Office of the President, including direction of projects, duties and responsibilities that cut across organizational boundaries, and represent the president in working with various university and external constituencies.

The UNT System will begin a national search to replace the position of vice chancellor and general counsel, which is also currently held by Rafes.

Rafes, who has served as general counsel for the university and system for 22 years, began serving as interim vice chancellor for administration and vice president for administration in July after Fred Pole announced his retirement.

This appointment effectively separates the system and university positions.

"Richard's knowledge of the university's operation, coupled with his recent service as interim vice president for the areas he will now oversee, makes him a perfect fit for the duties he will assume," says President Norval Pohl. "At this critical juncture in UNT's development, someone with Richard's experience will be a true asset in advancing the university's mission."

During his tenure as general counsel, Rafes was involved in the legal aspects of such university operations as legislative affairs, academic and fiscal affairs, student development, enrollment management and university planning.

"Serving as vice chancellor and general counsel has been a rewarding experience, and I look forward to using my background to help the university achieve its goals in my new role as senior vice president, which will also present new, different and expanded opportunities for personal and professional growth," Rafes says.

In addition to his role as general counsel, since 1981 Rafes has served as an adjunct professor in two departments in the College of Education — the Department of Counseling, Development and Higher Education, and the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation — as well as in one department in the College of Business Administration — the Department of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law.

Since 1999 he has served as co-director for the Center for Education Law, Administration and Policy in the UNT College of Education. In 1997 he created the annual Texas Higher Education Law Conference and has served as its director each year. He also served as course director and clinical instructor in the Department of Medical Humanities at the UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth from 1989 to 1999.

Rafes earned his Ph.D. in higher education administration from UNT in 1990, his doctor of jurisprudence from the Bates School of Law at the University of Houston in 1977, and his bachelor of arts in government from Lamar University in 1974.

He served as chair of the UNT 2000-02 capital campaign for the College of Education, and in 2002 he was the recipient of the Honors Day President's Special Recognition Award acknowledging his outstanding service in the areas of fund raising, facility development and external promotion of the university.

In 1999 he was awarded Administrator of the Year by the Student Government Association, and in 1994 was named Top Professor by the UNT Mortar Board national honor society.

Before joining UNT, Rafes served as an assistant attorney general of Texas in the special litigation and education and civil rights sections, primarily representing state universities.

Rafes has served as president and also held several other posts in the Texas Association of State University Attorneys. In addition, he has served on the board of directors for North Texas Community Clinics and the YMCA board of directors executive committee. He has been a member of the Denton Kiwanis Club and volunteered in numerous community roles including coaching baseball and soccer for the YMCA.

BY KELLEY REESE kreese@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• New campaign promotes UNT license plates and scholarships
• Women at work: Habitat for Humanity calls for Women Build volunteers
• Equity, diversity conference registration deadline nearing
• Pohl addresses golf course development issue
• UNT offers support system to employ people with disabilities
• Rafes speaks to Staff Council about salaries, staffing levels, legislative session
• UNT to sponsor Leadership Texas participant
• Gu creates new installation during residency
• UNT scholars win four Rotary scholarships

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