List of presidents of Utah State University

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The following persons have served as president of Utah State University:^[1]^[2]^[3]

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No.	President	Term start	Term end	Refs.
Presidents of the Agricultural College of Utah (1888–1928)
1	Jeremiah W. Sanborn	May 17, 1890	May 31, 1894
2	Joshua H. Paul	June 1, 1894	April 25, 1896
3	Joseph M. Tanner	April 28, 1896	June 10, 1900
4	William J. Kerr	June 11, 1900	March 26, 1907
5	John A. Widtsoe	March 27, 1907	February 16, 1916
6	Elmer George Peterson	February 17, 1916	June 30, 1945
Presidents of the Utah State Agricultural College (1928–1957)
7	Franklin S. Harris	July 1, 1945	June 30, 1950
8	Louis Linden Madsen	July 1, 1950	April 25, 1953
9	Henry Aldous Dixon	August 8, 1953	December 2, 1954 ^[a]
10	Daryl Chase	December 3, 1954	June 30, 1968
Presidents of the Utah State University (1957–present)
11	Glen L. Taggart	July 1, 1968	June 15, 1979
12	Stanford Cazier	June 15, 1979	June 30, 1992	^[4]^[5]
13	George H. Emert	July 1, 1992	December 31, 2000	^[6]^[7]^[8]
14	Kermit L. Hall	January 1, 2001	January 31, 2005 ^[b]	^[9]^[10]
15	Stan L. Albrecht	February 1, 2005	December 31, 2016	^[11]^[12]^[13]
16	Noelle E. Cockett	January 1, 2017	July 31, 2023	^[14]^[15]
17	Elizabeth "Betsy" R. Cantwell	August 1, 2023	February 19, 2025 ^[c]	^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]
interim	Alan L. Smith	February 20, 2025	November 9, 2025	^[20]^[21]
18	Brad L. Mortensen	November 10, 2025	present	^[22]^[23]

Table notes:

[a]
Resigned to be a U.S. representative.
[b]
Resigned to lead University at Albany.
[c]
Resigned to lead Washington State University.

References

[1]
"Past Presidents of Utah State University". USU.
[2]
"Happy Birthday USU". USU. February 23, 2006.
[3]
Opsahl, Kevin (April 2, 2013). "Presidents of USU each left their mark". The Herald Journal.
[4]
"Stamford Cazier named president of USU". The Herald Journal. Vol. 70, no. 97. April 23, 1978. p. 1. Stanford Cazier former Utah State University administrator and faculty member will be the university's 12th president it was announced today by the Utah State Board of Regents. Cazier, 48, is currently president of California State University, Chico. Donald B. Holbrook, regents chairman, said Cazier will assume his position here sometime between June 15 and July 15.
[5]
"USU President to Step Down". The Salt Lake Tribune. June 11, 1991. p. B2. Utah State University President Stanford Cazier announced Monday that be will step down at the end of the 1991-92 school year ending a tenure that has spanned more than a decade.
[6]
"Former USU President George Emert Passes Away". USU. March 22, 2018. Emert's tenure as USU's 13th president lasted for more than eight years, beginning on July 1, 1992, and ending with his retirement on Dec. 31, 2000.
[7]
"Auburn Biochemist to Guide USU". The Salt Lake Tribune. May 6, 1992. p. B1. George H. Emert a biochemist and executive vice president at Auburn University in Alabama, has been named the 13th president of Utah State University. Mr Emert 53 a native of Tennessee will replace Stanford Cazier who retires on July 1.
[8]
"USU president to step down". Deseret News. May 10, 2000. Utah State University President George H. Emert announced his retirement Wednesday, stepping down after eight years at the post.
[9]
"USU names prez". The Herald Journal. Vol. 91, no. 314. November 9, 2000. p. 1. Utah State University approved the appointment of its 14th president Wednesday afternoon. Kermit Hall, provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at North Carolina State University, was approved by a unanimous vote of the Utah Board of Regents in the Taggart Student Center at USU.
[10]
"Kermit L. Hall Confirmed as UAlbany's 17th President". University at Albany. December 29, 2004. Following the recommendation of Chancellor Robert L. King, the State University of New York Board of Trustees today unanimously approved the nomination of Kermit L. Hall, head of Utah State University, as the University at Albany's 17th president.
[11]
"Stan Albrecht Named Utah State University's 15th President". USU. January 18, 2005. Stan Albrecht was named Utah State University's 15th president today by unanimous vote by Utah's Board of Regents during a special meeting on campus. Albrecht will assume his new position on Feb. 1.
[12]
Pratt, Morgan (December 8, 2016). "Goodbye Stan and Joyce: USU community surprises retiring president". The Utah Statesman.
[13]
"USU President Stan L. Albrecht Announces Retirement Plans". USU. February 3, 2016. Utah State University President Stan L. Albrecht announced today [Feb. 3, 2016] that he will step down as president. He will remain in his role until a search for his successor is complete.
[14]
"Dr. Noelle Cockett named new President of Utah State University". Utah System of Higher Education. October 26, 2016. The Board of Regents have selected Dr. Noelle Cockett as the 16th President of Utah State University. Dr. Cockett will succeed Dr. Stan Albrecht, who is retiring after a long, successful career in higher education.
[15]
"USU President to Step Down on July 1, 2023". Utah System of Higher Education. November 22, 2022. Utah State University President Noelle E. Cockett announced on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, that she will step down as USU's top leader on July 1, 2023. Cockett will continue as a tenured member of the USU faculty after her presidency comes to a close.
[16]
"Elizabeth R. Cantwell Named 17th USU President". Utah State Today. May 19, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023. The Utah Board of Higher Education selected Elizabeth "Betsy" R. Cantwell as the 17th president of Utah State University on Friday, following an extensive national search. Cantwell will assume the position later this summer. She succeeds Noelle E. Cockett, who served as president beginning January 2017 and will step down June 2023.
[17]
"Elizabeth Cantwell sworn in as 17th USU President". Cache Valley Daily. August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
[18]
Tanner, Courtney (February 6, 2025). "Utah State University president suddenly quits after embattled tenure, says she plans to leave state". The Salt Lake Tribune.
[19]
"Utah Board of Higher Education Statement on USU President Cantwell". USU. February 7, 2025. Utah State University President Elizabeth R. Cantwell has accepted another position as the 12th president of Washington State University (WSU). While the details are still being finalized, we expect that she will wrap up her time at USU in the next couple of months and assume her new role on April 1, 2025.
[20]
"Message From USU Interim President Alan L. Smith: Ever Forward, Ever Better". USU. February 20, 2025. On my first day as interim president of Utah State University...
[21]
"Utah Board of Higher Education appoints Alan L. Smith as interim president of Utah State University". USU. February 13, 2025. The Utah Board of Higher Education appointed Alan L. Smith, Ph.D., as interim president of Utah State University in a public meeting on February 12, 2025, and announced it will launch a comprehensive search for the next president. Incoming Interim President Smith has been with USU since 2021 and currently serves as dean of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. The appointment follows current USU President Elizabeth R. Cantwell's announcement that she has accepted a new position as president of Washington State University.
[22]
Stefanich, Logan (October 30, 2025). "Brad Mortensen unanimously selected to lead Utah State University as its 18th president". KSL-TV. KSL Broadcasting. Retrieved October 31, 2025. The Utah Board of Higher Education on Thursday unanimously appointed Brad L. Mortensen as Utah State University's 18th president.
[23]
"Utah Board of Higher Education Names Brad L. Mortensen President of Utah State University". USU. October 30, 2025. The Utah Board of Higher Education unanimously selected Brad L. Mortensen, Ph.D., as the next president of Utah State University at its meeting today. With over two decades of experience in higher education, Mortensen brings a demonstrated focus on affordability, value and access. Mortensen will assume the position on November 10, 2025.

List of presidents of Utah State University

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