Dr. José Dela Cruz has more than 15 years of experience as a higher education practitioner and approaches his work of student advocacy and support through the lens of action research. Dr. Dela Cruz is an accomplished higher education leader with expertise in strategic enrollment management, student success initiatives, and institutional transformation.
Prior to his arrival at OU, Dr. Dela Cruz served as the Vice President of Student Affairs at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon. Additionally, Dr. Dela Cruz has held various administrative roles at Dallas College (Dallas, TX), Tulsa Community College, and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
With a career spanning community colleges and four-year institutions, he has successfully led large-scale initiatives that advanced access, persistence, and completion for students. Dr. Dela Cruz is recognized for his expertise in strategic planning, cross-institutional collaboration, and implementing innovative solutions that align with institutional priorities. Known for his collaborative leadership style, he excels at building partnerships across divisions and departments to implement innovative, data-informed solutions. Passionate about access and student success, he remains committed to developing policies and practices to advance institutional and student success.
Dr. Dela Cruz earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma and earned his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University with his dissertation research focusing on the college experience of undocumented Latino students.
