Utah Valley University (UVU) President Jon Anderson, Ph.D., has announced the appointment of retired Colonel Michael Rapich as the university’s new chief safety officer.
Utah Valley University (UVU) President Jon Anderson, Ph.D., has announced the appointment of retired Colonel Michael Rapich as the university’s new chief safety officer. Rapich, who served 33 years with the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), including nine years as its top commander, brings a distinguished record of public safety leadership to UVU.
“Fostering a safe and supportive learning environment is one of our highest priorities,” said UVU President Jon Anderson. “Colonel Rapich brings decades of public safety leadership, sound judgment, and trusted relationships across Utah. His experience and collaborative approach will strengthen how UVU prepares, responds, and works together to serve our campus community.”
In his new role, Rapich will oversee campus safety operations and lead efforts to strengthen the university’s safety infrastructure, foster a culture of safety, and enhance emergency preparedness. His appointment comes as the Utah System of Higher Education has issued new campus safety recommendations calling on institutions to strengthen behavioral threat intervention, standardize event safety protocols, expand emergency response training, and enhance coordination with local and state law enforcement. As the former superintendant of the UHP, Rapich brings longstanding relationships with law enforcement leaders across Utah, positioning the university to strengthen critical partnerships and enhance coordination in campus safety and emergency response.
Rapich said, "I am honored by the opportunity to serve as part of President Anderson's administration as the chief safety officer for Utah Valley University. I look forward to engaging with students and faculty in defining and promoting a safe and secure learning environment and working with incredible public safety professionals of UVU and surrounding communities to identify every opportunity to ensure that UVU campus is a trusted place for learning, growth, and engagement. The trust of all who are part of the UVU community is something I promise to uphold as I join those who honor the commitment to serve and protect Utah Valley University and all who make it an amazing place to be."
Safety is a foundational priority at Utah Valley University, where a growing campus community of more than 45,000 students, faculty, and staff depends on responsive, professional, and forward-thinking public safety leadership. Rapich’s appointment reflects UVU's commitment to strengthening institutional safety at the highest levels, bringing to campus the same integrity and professionalism that defined his three decades in state law enforcement.
Rapich was first sworn in as a UHP trooper in 1992, following service with the U.S. Coast Guard and work as a 911 dispatcher. Over the course of his career, he rose through the ranks to serve as UHP Colonel, the agency’s highest-ranking position. In that role, he earned recognition for elevating professional standards, improving trooper recruitment and compensation, and strengthening partnerships with state and federal law enforcement agencies.
During his tenure as colonel, Rapich represented the UHP within the International Association of Chiefs of Police and guided the department through a period of significant change. At his retirement ceremony, attended by former Governor Gary Herbert, state patrol colonels from neighboring states, and law enforcement officials from across the region, colleagues described him as "the epitome of a state trooper" and a stabilizing force in Utah public safety leadership.
