President Richard J. Bailey, Jr., joined SOU in January 2022, after overseeing the resurgence of Northern New Mexico College during five-plus years as president. He previously completed a 24-year career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a full colonel and command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours.

Dr. Bailey earned accolades on and off campus while at Northern New Mexico College, increasing enrollment by more than 20 percent, cutting student loan defaults by more than 50 percent and more than doubling the college's graduation rate - all without an increase in tuition rates. He also brokered an NNMC partnership for the construction of a 1.5 megawatt solar array to lower utility costs for at least 30 years. He led the creation of the Northern New Mexico College Eagle Corporation - the college's first such venture – allowing the institution to partner with business entities for the purpose of diversifying the college’s revenue streams.

Prior to his hiring as president at NNMC, Dr. Bailey was the first-ever dean of students at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Bailey was also the associate professor of strategy and security studies..

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