Mark Stanton Named Azusa Pacific’s Fourth Provost

AZUSA, Calif. — On April 21, Azusa Pacific University President Jon R. Wallace, DBA, named Chino Hills, Calif. resident Mark Stanton, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer at APU, effective immediately. Stanton, a nationally known clinical psychologist and family psychology expert, becomes the university’s fourth provost following an intense, six-month nationwide search.

“Dr. Stanton is an accomplished psychologist, scholar, and academician whose leadership and vision for our academy and faculty will take the university to the next level of academic excellence while remaining firmly rooted in our rich Christ-centered heritage,” said Wallace. “His mature faith and commitment to higher education and the mission of Azusa Pacific are clearly evident. I am thrilled to have him as our next provost and look forward to working alongside him.”

The provost plays a central role in accomplishing the university’s mission. Reporting to the president and serving as a member of the President’s Council, Stanton will provide strategic leadership and oversight of academics and broad university initiatives. He will collaboratively articulate and model the university’s academic vision, and lead more than 425 full-time faculty. Stanton will also partner with administrators and faculty to pursue innovation and new approaches to learning, while also balancing administrative and budgetary demands. As chief academic officer, Stanton partners with three vice provosts, the associate vice president for academic enrollment, eight deans, as well as nine directors and an office staff, to achieve academic goals.

“I am excited by the opportunity to work collaboratively with the president, university leaders, faculty, and staff to advance the mission and purpose of APU,” said Stanton. “Our Carnegie classification as a Doctoral/Research university positions us to offer high-quality, comprehensive academic programs to all our students, from traditional undergraduate students to adult learners, online students, graduate students, and doctoral candidates. We will move forward strategically to fulfill our Christ-centered mission with purpose and distinction that expands our contribution to the academy and enhances our reputation for excellence.”

“Dr. Stanton brings a deep knowledge of and love for APU,” said Mark Dickerson, JD, Ph.D., APU vice president for legal affairs and provost search committee chair. “As a scholar, he has authored numerous publications and received awards for his work in the field of family psychology. As an academic leader, he has helped APU develop sound systems and processes to manage the complex and diverse operations of our many schools and programs. Dr. Stanton is well equipped to lead APU to the next level of academic excellence.”

As acting provost over the last 10 months, Stanton guided APU’s academy through its Western Association of Schools and Councils (WASC) Capacity and Preparatory Review visit. In addition, he provided significant leadership to the university’s values and ethos review process over the last year.

Previously, Stanton served as dean of APU’s School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences (2006–11), which encompasses four bachelor’s, six master’s, and six doctoral programs, including some of APU’s most sought-after programs: social work, physical therapy, and psychology. His history with Azusa Pacific, however, dates back to 1990, when he joined the faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Graduate Psychology. He also served as director of the APA-accredited Doctor of Psychology program (1996–2006) and chair of the Department of Graduate Psychology (2000–06).

Stanton holds a B.A. from Hope International University in Fullerton; an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena; a Ph.D. in Marital and Family Therapy, also from Fuller; and a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management (IEM), Graduate School of Education, Harvard University.

Academic Accomplishments

• Diplomate, Board Certified in Couple and Family Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology
• Active member on academic, administrative, and faculty governance committees, including WASC and American Psychological Association Accreditation committees
• Inaugural editor, Couple and Family Psychology (2011–14)
• Book proposal reviewer for Oxford University Press, John Wiley and Sons, Brunner-Routledge, and Sage Publications (2003–11)
• Editor, The Family Psychologist
• Author of more than 40 publications in prestigious journals and books, including American Psychologist, Family Process, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, and Journal of Psychology and Christianity
• Accomplished presenter of more than 50 professional presentations at national and regional conferences.

Professional Accomplishments

• Licensed psychologist in California
• President, American Board of Couple and Family Psychology (2011–12)
• Member, National Council on Family Relations and the California Psychological Association
• President, Society for Family Psychology, Division 43 of the American Psychological Association (2005)
• Named Family Psychologist of the Year in 2007 by the Society for Family Psychology
• Has served on the American Board of Couple and Family Psychology and Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology
• External consultant to more than 50 healthcare organizations, hospitals, and government agencies in areas ranging from team development and leadership coaching, to conflict management.

About Azusa Pacific:

APU has expanded significantly in recent years with additional graduate, online, and adult program course offerings to its premier undergraduate curriculum. In addition to the more than 100-acre campus in Azusa and seven Southern California regional centers, the university has global learning sites in the High Sierra, South Africa, and Oxford, England. The university recently launched Azusa Pacific Online University to provide affordable, accessible online academic programs that integrate faith and knowledge to students from all walks of life.

Total student enrollment stands at 9,258, representing all 50 states and 70 countries. With a student to faculty ratio of 12:1, APU employs 1,074 faculty (including full time, part time, and adjunct), 73 percent of whom hold a doctorate, first professional, or other terminal degree.