Vice President Barton of Southern Utah University Steps Down

Published: March 01, 2007 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Southern Utah University announced this week that Mark Barton will soon be stepping aside as the Vice President of Advancement and Regional Services to take on other duties. Barton will become a special assistant to President Benson with some very specific fund-raising duties beginning July 1, 2007.

"Mark has given many years of service to this campus and I commend him for his commitment to SUU and our students,” says President Michael T. Benson. “I look forward to working with him in a different role where he will be assigned specific tasks including raising funds for a new alumni house, sponsorships for the Utah Summer Games, the potential establishment of a Harry Reid Center, and will serve as liaison to our friends and alumni in the Las Vegas area."

Mark Barton has spent some 25 years with the University in a variety of capacities. He has served for the past five years as the Vice President. Before that he was the Assistant Vice President for Student Services with responsibilities for Enrollment Services including Admissions, Registration, School Relations and Housing. He is also a proud alumnus of SUU, where he earned his M.Ed. in 1996.

Barton is looking forward to the change, “The opportunity to work with President Benson on a new alumni house and continue with the Summer Games and alumni will be very rewarding.”

Longtime colleague and fellow Vice President, Georgia Beth Thompson has many fond memories of working with Mark Barton. She says, “When we worked together in Student Services Administration, Mark could step back and take a wider view of issues and concerns. His ideas were like a wide angle lens which we used to discuss and plan programs for students and the campus.”

Thompson is very complimentary of Mark’s participative leadership style. “Mark showed extensive support of any program he supervised. If the school relations staff was involved in an event, Mark was part of that involvement. He counseled frequently with those he supervised to enhance program planning and implementation. He supported staff and students by being directly involved in programming.”

Barton’s founding of the Governor’s Honors Academy is one of his accomplishments that brings the biggest smile to his face. “I worked with two different governors in the late 80s to get that program started and I have people tell me quite regularly how the experience has changed their lives for the better.”

Mark was hired in 1982 as Director of Admissions and School Services with responsibilities including student recruitment, admissions and scholarships. Enrollment had been virtually flat for 12 years prior to his arrival and Mark helped grow the student body by more than seven percent in his first year. He came to SUSC with 13 years of practice in the BYU Admissions Office. Among his many achievements, Mark was given the President’s Award in 1988 for outstanding faculty or staff contributions to the student body.

The search to replace Barton will begin shortly and someone will likely be in place in July or August. President Benson states, “He/she will be tasked with helping lead our $115 million campaign which we will publicly launch in the fall.” Benson continues, “She/he will have extensive campaign experience and we would encourage you to contact your friends or associates who might be interested in this position.”

Barton comments, “While I will not be leaving the University for a year and half, there are many donors and leaders that I will not be working directly with any more after July 1. I wish to tell each of them how wonderful it has been to work together and accomplish what we have in the past many years. I hope to thank each of you personally.”

Barton also insists, “My 25 years at SUU have been wonderful. I believe the best students and people attend and work at SUU.”

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