Pronouns: he/him/his
Joaquin Becerra
Dean of Students
- B.A. Psychology & Chicanx Studies, UC Santa Barbara
- M.S. Higher Education & Student Affairs, Indiana University
- M.A. Education, UC Santa Barbara
- Ph.D. Education, UC Santa Barbara
Email:
deanjoaquin@ucsb.edu
Office Hours:
Wednesdays 3-4pm. Click the calendar to schedule a 20 minute appointment.
Areas of Responsibility
Oversees departments in the Student Life & Belonging cluster and supports cultural resource centers in addressing campus climate and increasing community engagement.
Promotes inclusion in and equitable access to the UCSB learning environment for students of all identities.
Liaises between students and University administration by listening broadly to student input and representing student perspectives and interests.
Facilitates discussion and solution-finding to issues and crises that pertain to the quality of student life at UCSB (particularly outside of the classroom).
About Joaquin Becerra
Joaquin Becerra, a proud Mexican immigrant and first-generation college student three times over, was raised in Brawley, CA. Throughout his career, he has remained dedicated to supporting and uplifting marginalized voices. As a former UCSB student who often had to navigate college independently, Joaquin is deeply committed to improving the college experience for all students, with a strong focus on supporting first-generation and BIPOC students.
During his time as an undergraduate, Joaquin served as a Resident Assistant, worked with the Upward Bound program, held leadership roles in Latinx organizations, and served as the Stephen S. Goodspeed Intern for Dr. Michael Young, then Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. It was also at UCSB where Joaquin met his wife, a fellow Gaucho. After earning a B.A. in Psychology and Chicanx Studies, Joaquin began his professional journey at UCSB as an Assistant Resident Director in what was then known as the Office of Residential Life.
Joaquin earned a Master's in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Indiana University where he gained valuable experience working with University Housing, STEM DEI initiatives, TRIO Programs, Multicultural Affairs, and Student Conduct. Joaquin and his wife returned to Santa Barbara so he could continue his professional journey at UCSB.
Starting as a Resident Director in Residential and Community Living (RCL), Joaquin quickly developed a passion for student conduct as a vehicle for student development, with a focus on enhancing safety, reducing shame, and reintegrating community members with empathy. He held several positions in RCL Student Conduct, ultimately leading him to move into the Division of Student Affairs as Director of the Office of Judicial Affairs. In this role, he led the office's transformation from Judicial Affairs to Student Conduct.
Joaquin is deeply committed to social, restorative, and transformational justice. Over the past decade, he has championed restorative justice as both a philosophy and a developmental tool to challenge traditional approaches to punishment, accountability, and education through an anti-oppressive, anti-racist lens. His visionary work led to the creation of UCSB's Restorative Justice Program, a critical initiative aimed at reimagining and transforming normative systems of justice and improving campus climate for our must vulnerable students.
In 2024, Joaquin earned a PhD in Education from the Gervitz Graduate School of Education at UCSB. His dissertation focused on how university leaders perceive campus climate and engage in servingness efforts at Hispanic-Serving Research Institutions. This theoretical basis is the underpinning for his work as he embarks on the role of Dean of Students. He believes wholeheartedly in the transformational power of higher education to bring about change in communities and the ability for communities to positively impact higher education.
Joaquin and his wife Jessica live in Goleta with their two young daughters, who keep life exciting. When he's not at work, Joaquin is likely geeking out over the latest tech keynotes as if they were the Super Bowl; perfecting his skills in cooking, grilling, and smoking meats; or tackling a woodworking project that may or may not turn our as planned. Amid all of that, he still manages to help with all his daughters' school projects and even sneak in some gaming when he gets the chance.