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Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Resource Management Fernando Rosario-Ortiz reflects on new role and areas of focus for upcoming year

Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Resource Management (VC ARM) Fernando Rosario-Ortiz took over the position on April 1, 2025 after former VC ARM Ann Schmiesing moved to become interim vice chancellor for strategic initiatives under Chancellor Justin Schwartz in March, and then was named to the permanent post on June 9. The Provost’s Post talked with him to learn more about the position, what made him want it, and areas of focus for the upcoming year.

Question: How do you see the role of the vice chancellor for academic resource management serving the university? 

Answer: The VC ARM principal focus is to determine, enhance and align the financial and physical resources available to support the academic mission of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ. As such, I get to work with different academic units and other constituent groups on campus with the ultimate goal of supporting a successful academic enterprise. Specifically, I support efforts around usage of academic space, budget model, compensation and online and graduate education.

What made you want to do the job? 

During the past eight years I have served in different leadership positions at ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, starting with leadership positions at the environmental engineering program, then as associate dean for faculty at the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and most recently as interim dean for the School of Education. In these roles, I have had an opportunity to learn about what makes CU and its programs thrive and be impactful. 

Serving in a leadership position at the School of Education gave me the opportunity to appreciate how different units function and how ultimately the different parts of the university work together toward achieving the overall mission and goals at CU. As a result, I was interested in continuing to serve in leadership, but at a campus level, where I would have the opportunity to support all units and the broader mission of CU. Provost Moore supported my interest and felt I was right for the interim role, so here I am. 

Do you have a basic philosophy, approach or set of guiding principles that guide your work in this role?  

I strongly believe in the benefit of working collaboratively towards achieving goals. Ultimately, I see myself as a problem-solver and a strategic thinker, but with a clear understanding that problems are better solved with a strong sense of direction, clarity and vision that is informed by opening spaces for ideas from stakeholder groups and by supporting people. In my new role, I look forward to addressing challenging opportunities by working together with different groups as CU continues to grow in impact both locally and globally.

How does the job interface with other academic units and leaders on campus? 

Given that my portfolio is centered in resources—money, physical infrastructure and other assets I get to work with different unit leads and other stakeholders on campus. For example, I get to be part of discussions about space utilization and development of new academic spaces, as well as thinking through how to best support units as they grow and continue to adapt to a changing environment. I have enjoyed these interactions so far and look forward to continued conversations with folks around campus. 

What are you seeing as the top three to five areas you’ll be focusing on in the 2025-26 academic year?

During the next academic year, I will be working to support efforts around the continued evolution of the budget model, compensation strategy and online education, among other areas of emphasis both ongoing and yet to emerge.