Interim Appointments at Cultural and Resource Centers

By Marie-Chantale Maltais, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Aug. 25, 2023
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Subject: Interim Appointments at Cultural and Resource Centers
Date: Aug 25, 2023

Earlier this year, President Robbins appointed Dr. Jenna Hatcher to the role of Interim Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Hatcher's focus is on the University's institutional commitment to supporting diverse campus communities and overseeing the operations, initiatives, and programming of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, including the eight Cultural and Resource Centers which are vital sources of academic and social support for students from historically marginalized communities.

To advance ODI's goals in student support, Dr. Hatcher has appointed Kim Dominguez as Interim Sr. Director of the Cultural and Resource Centers, and Jaimaica DelMar and Julian Juan as Interim Director of African American Student Affairs and Native American Student Affairs, respectively.

As part of the broader Cultural and Resource Centers (CRC) team, the interim appointees will lead programming, coordinate student resources, and work with Dr. Hatcher to advance the goals of ODI and the University in student success.

Kim Dominguez (she/her), Interim Sr. Director, Cultural and Resource Centers

Kim Dominguez, who will serve as the Interim Sr. Director of the Cultural and Resource Centers, is a double Arizona alumna. She holds a B.A. in Mexican American Studies and Gender & Women Studies and an M.A. in Higher Education. She has served in full-time staff capacity for the CRC  team for six years. Kim was born and raised in Tucson, was a transfer student starting at Pima Community College, and is a first-generation high school and college graduate. Her role in the Tucson community includes an extensive background in community organizing and social justice activism, having worked on issues of ethnic studies, working-class first-generation student retention, gender-based violence and feminism in communities of color. She worked in Tucson Unified School District classrooms for seven academic years providing curriculum support, classroom engagement, and popular culture-based learning, and trained high school students on how to conduct academic research to better the material conditions in their schools and communities. As Women and Gender Resource Center Director, she received positive feedback from student, faculty, and staff stakeholders as well as the Student Services Fee Board about the cultural shifts she has led during her time working in the CRC. For Kim, it is a privilege to work alongside and in support of the CRC students.

Jamaica DelMar (she/her), Interim Director of African American Student Affairs

Jamaica DelMar, who will serve as the Interim Director of the African American Student Affairs, comes to AASA with over a decade's worth of experience working with college students in areas such as advising, records, admissions and veteran services. In addition, she has taught undergraduate and graduate level classes for the past two years out of the Education Policy Studies and Practice department in the College of Education. Her research interests include examining college access through an intersectional lens, particularly for populations such as students of color, first-generation college students, those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students with mental health issues, and students caring for children. She has worked with non-profit organizations such as Jeremiah Program and the YWCA of Southern Arizona to develop and provide curriculum that empowers single mothers who are pursuing a postsecondary credential. She is incredibly excited to support Black students in this role and she looks forward to providing structure and advocacy for AASA.

Jamaica received her Ed.D from Minnesota State University – Moorhead in spring 2021 and arrived at the University of Arizona in fall 2021, serving as Director of Project SOAR, which is housed in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at COE.

Julian Juan (he/him), Interim Director of Native American Student Affairs

Julian Juan, who will serve as the Interim Director of the Native American Student Affairs, is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico with a double concentration in Marketing Management and Entrepreneurial Studies and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He has supported Native students at the University and the Native American Student Affairs through his roles with Masculinities in the Mix and Common Ground Alliance, and serving in interim roles with the CRC. Before coming to the University, he worked to support Native American youth through local and national organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center and My Brother's Keeper Alliance, highlighting issues facing Native Nations such as Native youth suicide prevention, cultural revitalization, and promoting policy priorities that center Native youth. He is excited to continue supporting Native students at the University and working with campus and community partners to foster a community that supports Native student success and affirms their identities to help them build community and create a home away from home.

Kim, Jamaica, and Julian join the directors of the other Cultural and Resource Centers:

Dr. Hatcher emphasized the role the Centers play in student life. "The leaders of the Cultural and Resource Centers and I look forward to continuing to help foster an environment of inclusion where students can thrive both personally and academically," she said. "It is our collaborative goal to ensure that returning and incoming students to this, the most diverse class in our history, feel supported and safe during their academic journey at the University of Arizona."

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will hold open and transparent searches for permanent appointees in the three positions this fall.

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