Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez announced Feb. 10 that Vice President for Student Affairs Shirley Uplinger will retire in June.

“Please join me in thanking Shirley for her many years of service to the students here at (Sac State),” said Gonzalez in his official statement.

Since 1973, Uplinger has held numerous positions at Sac State including associate dean of students, director of the student health center and director of financial aid.

Director of Special Programs and Enrollment, Larry Glassmire said he used to work for Uplinger and holds her in high regard.

“One thing nice I remember about Shirley is when I moved from Academic Affairs to Student Affairs,” Glassmire said. “There was no office space in Student Affairs, so she allowed me to work from Academic Affairs.”

Uplinger was enormously welcoming to her colleagues and would often have back-to-school and holiday parties at her home, Glassmire said.

“She’s got a good sense of humor and enjoys a good time,” Glassmire said. Associated Students, Inc. Vice President Julio Velazquez said the search is on for a replacement. Velazquez says he’s looking for a Student Affairs vice president who’ll reach out to students.

“Sac State lacks a coalition between administrators and students,” Velazquez said. “Most students are scared of administrators and feel they don’t care.” The controversy over Gonzalez’s office mortgage with the Foundation overshadowed the fact that he’s for students, Velazquez said.

Student Mario Escobar said he hopes the new Student Affairs vice president keeps the soccer team in mind.

“It would help if we had better equipment and trainers,” Escobar said. Glassmire said he’s not apprehensive about the changing of the guard. He said he’s been here long enough to see managers come and go and it’s just a fact of life and you adjust to.

Uplinger’s replacement needs to have a clear vision and be able to work collaboratively with people campus-wide, but especially with people he or she supervises, Glassmire said.

A lot of people have ideas about how to do things and it’s up to Uplinger’s replacement to sort through them and reconcile anything we do with the current budget limitations, Glassmire said.

“The university will commence a national search beginning this month to fill the vice president’s position,” said Gonzalez in his statement to the campus.