The life and career journeys of Vice Chancellor Greg Dart

This archived article was written by: Katie Felice

Greg Dart, vice chancellor for enrollment management, has had many job opportunities that have led him across the country over the last couple of years, but this year they lead him back to USU Eastern.
In 2012 Greg came to USU Eastern and about a year of service later, he was offered a vice chancellor position at Zane State, in Ohio. Feeling it was an offer too good to turn down, Dart and his family moved to Ohio. After a year in Ohio, Dart received a call from chancellor Joe Peterson, saying the vice chancellor position at USU Eastern was open and he was being offered the position. Again he picked up and moved back to Price in June of 2014 and is thrilled to be back. 
Before his years working in higher education began, Dart attended his first years of his college education at Snow College. At Snow, he had plans of majoring in marine biology and thought that would be his long-time profession. After about three weeks of studying in the field of biology, he realized that it was not for him. A friend of his encouraged him to try writing for the school’s newspaper and soon enough, he found his passion.
“I always loved to write.” Dart states. He became the editor and advisor of the school’s newspaper and also took on work writing for the Salt Lake Tribune.
During his time there, he met the woman of his dreams and the lady he would later go on to marry. Dart and his wife have four children, two boys and two girls.
He graduated from Snow College with his associate’s degree and later moved back to his home state of Alaska to attend the University of Alaska where he would receive his bachelor’s degree. The next portion of his education was spent at Utah State University where he graduated with his master’s degree. Still continuing his education; Dart is in the final phase for his doctorate degree at Northeastern University.
As his family grew, Dart shifted his job focus from journalism to public relations. Although many different job opportunities have caused him to move around the country, he feels “Price is a great place to be,” And he and his family are excited to be back.
The most rewarding part of his job is, “There’s no question; it is working with students. I like being able to interact with students and to be able to see them meet their goals,” said Dart.
As he comes back this year, one of his main goals is on student recruitment. “I came back with this renewed focus on student success and retention.” He continues, “The main goal is by 2017, to increase enrollment by 4,000 students.” This recruitment idea is known as the four-in-four plan. Not only does it focus on bringing in new students, but also helping students who are currently here through retention efforts.
Starting Oct. 1, there will be a reorganization of student’s services. Because of the large number of students and small number of advisors, this reorganization is to get more advisors so students will have better access to advising help.
Also a first-year-experience office is another project, aimed to help new incoming students through their first year, making the transition into college easier.
The best advice Dart ever received was given to him his freshman year when he was an ambassador, by a man named Mark Simpson. Simpson was his advisor and told him, “There is no way I will be able to do everything I want to do so I need to focus on the things that are truly important.”