Han Reichgelt, the new Regional Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs has worked at universities all over the world, including University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica; the University of Nottingham, England; and the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Despite his experiences, it wasn’t clear to him at first what he could contribute to USF St. Petersburg.
Now he knows his knowledge and past experiences will be of use.
“My whole approach to academic administration, in general, is driven by a strong belief that universities don’t exist to have students, they exist to have graduates,” Reichgelt said.
Currently, his main goal at USFSP is to finalize the strategic plan of expanding the university to 10,000 students in the next ten years.
Reichgelt, 55, is also working to fill some positions in academic affairs. He believes the university will benefit from additional people in the department.
A new position for a research administrator has already been approved since his arrival. This person will work with faculty on getting external contracts and grants, with the goal of creating new research opportunities.
Reichgelt joined the campus in late July after spending seven years as dean of the School and Computing Software Engineering at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga.
A native of the Netherlands, Reichgelt graduated from the University of Nijmegen in 1981 with a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in philosophy. He continued his education at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland where he earned his doctorate in cognitive science.
Reichgelt has won a number of fellowships and awards throughout his career. However, he claims this new position is his greatest achievement thus far.
In his short time at USFSP, Reichgelt has already started to recognize unique parts of the university, specifically thescholarly activity of the faculty.
“The number of books and papers they have published, presentations they give,” he said.
“It is way ahead of what I was used to at any of the institutions I have been at before.”
Reichgelt has worked all over the world, but is genuinely pleased and prepared for work at USFSP.
“I’d like students and faculty to know that I am really committed to their success,” he said. “I want to do the best that I can to create an environment that allows both to be successful.”
