May 21, 2013
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Sally Roush, SDSU's retiring Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs, has been selected as the recipient of the Dr. Albert C. Yates Distinguished Service Award, the Mountain West Conference announced on Tuesday.
Named in honor of the former Colorado State University president, the award is given to an individual who has successfully supported, promoted and exemplified the ideals of the Mountain West or a member institution. Roush is the ninth individual to receive the award in the 14-year history of the Mountain West, and second from SDSU in the last three years after former president Dr. Stephen Weber was honored in 2011.
Roush has worked at SDSU for 31 years, beginning with a 12-year stretch as Director of Personnel Services, before being promoted to Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs for the last 19 years. Since 2003, Roush has managed oversight of the university's athletics department, including serving as the direct report for the director of athletics.
During Roush's term as a vice president, SDSU has experienced significant growth in its sponsorship opportunities for female student-athletes, including the addition of women's soccer, water polo, crew, indoor track and field, and lacrosse. The inclusion of these sports has enabled SDSU to meet and exceed expectations of Title IX for more than a decade. Roush has had a big role in securing gifts and funding for the construction of new athletics facilities as well as improvements to existing ones, including Fowler Athletics Center, Viejas Arena, Tony Gwynn Stadium, SDSU Softball Stadium, The Sports Deck, Aztec Aquaplex, Aztec Tennis Center, Aztec Lacrosse Field and football practice fields.
With Roush's support, SDSU has served as host for a variety of NCAA championship events, including women's water polo, men's and women's basketball, women's soccer and men's golf.
Roush has been honored numerous times for her work with SDSU, most recently with the San Diego Business Journal's 2013 Education CFO of the Year Award. In 2004, she was selected by the California State University Board of Trustees to receive the Wang Family Excellence Award for exemplary contributions and achievements. Roush also won the SDSU Alumni Association's Monty Award for Distinguished University Service in 2010.