SLCC names Sanders Provost of Academic Affairs

Salt Lake Community College President Deneece G. Huftalin recently announced that Clifton Sanders accepted the position of Provost of Academic Affairs. For the past 20 years Sanders has been a faculty member, division chair, dean and an interim vice president. “Dr. Sanders brings an understanding of institutional history to the executive cabinet as well as a willingness to innovate and lead initiatives to improve student success rates,” Huftalin said. “His leadership in engaged learning, securing grants, workforce integration, cross-departmental collaboration and social justice practices are and will continue to be an asset to the College.”

Dr. Clifton Sanders

Sanders, who had been serving as the interim provost, said his vision for the post will be to see a continued increase in certificate and degree completion rates while focusing on areas like “deep learning, proficient workforce skills, transformative citizenship and a hunger for lifelong learning.” Sanders said SLCC has several “highly-regarded” programs and initiatives that have contributed to the institution awarding more than 30,000 certificates and degrees over the past decade.

“As professionals committed to quality student learning, faculty, staff and administrators must be deeply engaged in the broader issues of completion, our changing student demographics, high impact teaching and learning practices and informed decision making,” he added. “For example, understanding that most of our students must balance work and family commitments must inform how we implement programs, pathways, interventions and support to help them meet their educational goals. Our increasingly ethnically and socially diverse student population suggests that we pay more attention to and leverage the inherent value of culturally enriched learning environments. My staff and I are committed to collaboration, college-wide solutions and the hard work necessary to foster needed change so that we can deepen our culture of learning. Students experience the entire college. Our best work must embrace this reality.”

Sanders grew up near Baltimore, where by about age 8 he had read every book in the children’s section of his local library. He developed an interest in chemistry early and would one day earn his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Utah. He worked for 3M and in private industry, co-inventing innovations that led to several patents for medical devices. And, as Huftalin pointed out in her email to staff and faculty to announce Sanders’ appointment, he also plays a “mean” saxophone.