Kamel Haddad

Kamel N. Haddad, Ph.D. currently serves as Interim President of the University of Northern Colorado, bringing more than three decades of experience in public higher education and a deep commitment to shared governance, academic excellence, and student success.

A respected scholar and senior academic leader, Dr. Haddad has built his career on the belief that strong universities are sustained through trust, transparency, and meaningful collaboration among faculty, staff, students, administrators, community partners, and governing boards. His leadership reflects a steady focus on UNC’s mission as a comprehensive, regional, public-serving institution with a profound impact on Colorado and beyond.

Prior to becoming Interim President, Dr. Haddad served as Dean of UNC’s College of Natural and Health Sciences, where he led the university’s largest academic college and guided significant academic, organizational, and budgetary initiatives. His work at UNC has included launching new academic programs in health sciences, public health, computer science, and statistics; expanding industry-aligned credentials and experiential learning opportunities; and strengthening student success efforts with an explicit focus on equity, persistence, and completion.

Dr. Haddad is widely known for aligning vision with inclusive process. He has championed data-informed planning while affirming the central role of shared governance in shaping academic priorities and institutional policy. His leadership has emphasized open communication, respect for faculty and staff voice, and principled stewardship, particularly during periods of fiscal constraint. His approach to innovation, including the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies in teaching and learning, is grounded in faculty leadership and academic values.

Prior to joining UNC, Dr. Haddad served as Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice Provost for Planning and Academic Resources at California State University San Marcos, where he led academic affairs during a presidential transition and worked closely with the Academic Senate, deans, and campus committees to advance enrollment planning, student success, resource allocation models, and academic quality.

Dr. Haddad is a tenured professor of mathematics, graduate of the Executive Leadership Academy, Fulbright Senior Scholar, and recipient of multiple teaching and leadership awards. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Maryland and a B.S. in Applied Mathematics with honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His scholarly and professional work spans research, teaching, and large-scale academic innovation. Over the course of his career, he has served as principal investigator or lead administrator on more than $20 million in external grants, funding engineering programs, student success initiatives, STEM education and teacher preparation, and research focused on equity and family engagement in STEM fields.

Dr. Haddad is an avid bridge player, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, an average (but committed) pickleball player, and a huge fan of his wife and three children.