Q&A with Weber State’s new vice president of Administrative Services
OGDEN, Utah — Last week, Weber State University announced Mark Halverson as the new vice president of Administrative Services, effective July 1.
Halverson has held progressive leadership roles in facilities management and campus planning, and most recently served as interim vice president of information technology.
In his new role, Halverson will oversee essential administrative functions including information technology, financial services, facilities management, public safety, human resources, and athletics.
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he WSU Public Relations office recently sat down with Halverson to learn more about his leadership style and his goals for the division.
Q: What’s your big-picture vision for Administrative Services?
A: Our division needs to directly align with the university’s strategic plan, especially those core themes of access, learning, and community.
It’s really the people who make that vision possible. We’re a support organization made up of individuals who empower Weber State to be fantastic — from education to facilities to athletics, they’re the engine that drives this university.
Administrative Services has some amazing people supporting our faculty and staff. My wish is to continuously improve this support so they can continue to make Weber State great.
Q: What’s your first priority as vice president?
A: Right off the bat, rebuilding our leadership team. We’ve had a lot of transitions, a lot of senior leaders retiring, so my first priority is getting our team in order to best support the university's mission — that’s going to be critical.
Next is building on the success of past leaders. Norm Tarbox [departing VP of Administrative Services] was a well-respected leader and he built a solid financial foundation for the university. One of my priorities is to maintain that high standard while creating better connections with the community on campus and off.
I’m really big on community — meeting their needs and helping them feel like Weber State is their campus. I think we’re going to do some amazing things.
Q: Tell us about your leadership style and what folks can expect.
A: I’d say my leadership style is authentic, very open and transparent. It’s built on personal connections and leveraging those connections to create positive outcomes.
Throughout my career, any success I’ve had has been done in a team environment and because we share a vision, we share a passion, and we’re all working toward the same end. That’s not going to change stepping into this new role.
It's about being genuine and inspiring others to share that vision for where we can go, what’s possible, and making sure they've got the resources to get there.
Q: What’s something you’re excited about at Weber State?
A: I'm super excited, even with some of the financial challenges we have ahead of us, to really evaluate our efficiencies and look for those innovative opportunities to strategically realign resources to our mission.
I'm particularly excited about our new tuition differentiation, which makes associate-level programs more accessible to students. Initiatives like that honor our dual mission, and that’s really important to me.
Q: What are some immediate and long-term challenges you’re going to tackle?
A: One of the first things we need to tackle is a waning belief in the value of higher education. University leaders need to be champions in every forum to change the mindset of those in the community, those in the legislature, those at the national front — to help them understand how vital higher education is to the future of our community and country.
Another thing coming at us is the decline in high school graduates and the anticipated drop in university enrollments. Leaders have to position Weber State to be more attractive to students, making sure tuition rates stay low, making sure graduates are finding good-paying jobs and can see the return on their investment. We need to position ourselves as a viable, or even the preferred option for local students, along with out-of-state and international students.
In the near term, we’re also going to have to navigate financial challenges due to recent cuts and reallocations. There are opportunities there to rethink how we operate and to strengthen the university.
Q: Let’s touch on Athletics and how that fits into Administrative Services.
A: Athletics is one of the key components to connecting students, alumni, and the community to the university. There’s pride in teams, whether you’re winning or losing.
Athletics is also part of being a good community partner. We need to get back to the days when I was 14 and I’d come over to the Dee Events Center and that place was packed. Our teams today are just as good; our players are just as good, if not better. We’ve got some work to do to get that community connection back.
Athletics is also extremely important to our student-athletes, especially coming from out of state. We’re providing a lot of scholarships and waivers, giving them educational opportunities they might not have had. When you see our average GPA per student athlete, it’s the best in our conference. Weber State cares about the future of those athletes. It’s not just about winning, it’s about preparing them for the future, wherever that takes them.
Q: Can you give a quick recap of your academic background?
A: I’ve got two degrees from Weber State, a bachelor’s and master’s in business administration, and I have a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi — the Golden Eagles.
Q: What’s one thing you want people to know about you or the division you’ll be leading?
A: I want people to know we’re still heading in an amazing direction, and that’s very much due to the people here at Weber State. There are so many people behind the scenes who aren’t always recognized, but I see them. It’s their daily grind that makes Weber State successful. I know we’re in good hands.
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu