Profile - Dr. G. Jay Gogue

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When Jay Gogue takes office Sept. 2, 2003, he will become the seventh University of Houston System Chancellor and twelfth University of Houston President, succeeding Arthur K. Smith, who was the first to hold the dual titles.

Gogue (rhymes with “rouge”) comes from New Mexico State University, where he served as president since July 1, 2000. Prior to that, he spent five years as provost at Utah State University and was vice president for research at Clemson University from 1988 to 1995.

His administrative philosophy reflects a strong commitment both to scholarship and to research.

“When I first arrived at Clemson, the research and sponsored programs expenditures were about $32 million. When I left, these numbers were about $110 million,” Gogue recalls with pride. Similarly, during his relatively brief stint at NMSU, research expenditures increased from $140 million to $160 million, including a substantial amount for various NASA-related projects.

“Increasing academic quality and raising standards were also major objectives of my efforts at Utah State and at New Mexico State,” Gogue says. “At both institutions we established a ‘Teaching Academy’ to work with faculty to improve instruction at all levels. At Utah State, we established and secured private funding for Regents Professorships for the first time. And at New Mexico, I was especially proud of our work to create chaired professorships. During the past three years, we added 29.”

He also points to great strides made in the Distance Education program at New Mexico State during his tenure. “When I arrived, we had one degree offered via Distance Education. This fall, there will be 13, including seven master’s degrees and a doctorate.”

In addition to encouraging scholarship and research, Gogue has emphasized community service and outreach in his previous administrative appointments.

“I’m coming out of systems at Clemson, Utah State and New Mexico State that have
statewide outreach programs focusing on economic development, community health, homeland security, agriculture, leadership and so on,” he says. “We’ve also played a prominent role sponsoring community events such as the Festival of the American West and the Las Cruces Symphony. I look forward to continuing that kind of interaction and support in Houston.”

A native of Waycross, Georgia, Gogue, 55, earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in horticulture from Auburn University. In 1973, he received a doctorate in horticulture from Michigan State University. Gogue began his professional career in 1973 as a research scientist with the National Park Service. From 1977 to 1986, he was chief scientist for the Park Service and responsible for educational centers, law enforcement activities and natural resource management at 50 national parks.

A former Little League coach and U.S. Army reserve officer, Gogue is a board member of the Natural Resources Ecology Section of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and is certified as an accreditation reviewer for the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges, a regional accrediting agency.

“We’re honored and excited to be here,” Gogue says. “We want to accomplish great things for the four UH System institutions. There are still untold and unimaginable opportunities for collaboration between our universities and our friends and supporters.”