New Mexico State University Chancellor Dan Arvizu has named Monica Torres as the interim president for Doña Ana Community College. Torres has served as DACC’s vice president for academic affairs since 2014. DACC’s previous president, Renay Scott, was appointed as NMSU’s vice president for student success earlier this month.
“Dr. Torres was the obvious choice to be the interim president for DACC,” Arvizu said. “She knows the campus well and has accomplished a great deal in her time as the college’s chief academic officer. NMSU’s community college system is an incredibly important part of our mission to serve the state of New Mexico. Dr. Torres’ commitment to student success serves our community well.”
At DACC, Torres oversees the planning, development and implementation of educational programs. She works collaboratively with deans, division directors, department chairs and program directors to meet the needs of a diverse community of learners at the community college and the community at large.
“I thank Chancellor Arvizu for the honor to serve as the interim president of DACC,” Torres said. “Working together, the faculty and staff will continue to teach our students and pursue the goals of increasing enrollment and completion.”
Torres has also previously served as an assistant professor, associate professor and department head at NMSU’s Department of English. There, she taught classes, advised graduate students and performed research. As department head she oversaw the operation of the department including curricular, teaching and administrative functions.
Torres has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from NMSU. She earned a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in American Studies with an emphasis in Cultural Studies. She is published in academic journals and continues to pursue scholarly interests in cultural studies and higher education.
Information from NMSU