Astrid S Tuminez, the trailblazing seventh president of Utah Valley University (UVU), has announced she will step down from her role in early May 2026. She revealed her decision during a State of the University address on Wednesday, speaking to a packed auditorium of students and faculty.
A Decision Forged in Personal Grief and Institutional Crisis
The 61-year-old leader explained that the choice to leave had been developing for some time, describing it as a complex mix of emotions. "There’s never a good time," Tuminez stated. "I love UVU so much. It is a swirl of emotion. I am heartbroken on one hand, but also happy and excited on the other."
Her final year in office was profoundly shaped by tragedy. In February 2025, her husband, Jeffrey Tolk, died suddenly, a loss she described as leaving her "disconsolate and desolate." Then, on 10 September 2025—coinciding with what would have been her husband's birthday—the university was thrust into a national crisis. While Tuminez was travelling to Rome, news broke that Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old far-right commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, had been assassinated on the UVU campus.
"Our bodies feel these things," Tuminez later reflected. "Just utter shock, like my whole body was on fire." The killing placed her and the university at the epicentre of America's intensifying political divisions.
Leading Through Polarisation and Growth
Appointed in 2018, Tuminez made history as UVU's first woman, first person of colour, and first immigrant president, leading an institution in one of Utah's most conservative counties. A scholar of Soviet politics with experience across academia and government, she described her ascent as accidental. "I’m an accidental university president," she said. "I never planned for this."
Despite the turmoil, her nearly eight-year tenure—one of the longest in Utah's public university system—saw significant institutional advancement. Under her leadership, student enrolment grew by over 20%, the university's endowment more than doubled from $55m to $129m, and graduation rates rose sharply. She also oversaw the establishment of new centres in applied artificial intelligence, fintech, and constitutional studies.
A Warning on Immigration and the Future of US Universities
Her departure comes as American higher education faces mounting political pressure, including heightened immigration enforcement and visa restrictions under the Trump administration. As a former international student who secured an F-1 visa herself—a process she found "very, very difficult"—Tuminez expressed deep concern.
"One of the superpowers of America is our influence globally," she argued, emphasising that educating future global leaders is a key national strength. She warned that policies driven by fear risk causing long-term harm by closing off the United States. "I think it’s good for Utahns, and it’s also good for these students, to have this experience, to be educated here," she stated regarding international students.
The campus continues to grapple with the aftermath of Kirk's murder, with divisions persisting over how, or whether, to memorialise him. Looking ahead, Tuminez was clear about her immediate plans: a pause. "I need a break," she said. "This is not the kind of job you do for seven and a half years and feel rested."
