|
|
LAWRENCE -- Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, who served for the past year as interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, has been given the new title of senior vice provost for academic affairs. The change is effective July 15.
Prior to serving as interim dean, she was associate provost from 1996 to 2001. In her expanded role at the Lawrence campus, she will continue to serve as the chief deputy to David Shulenburger, executive vice chancellor and provost. Her primary responsibilities include coordination of the curriculum, policy development, and involvement of undergraduates in research and service learning.
"Kathleen has extraordinary talent, which she has demonstrated in her roles as a department chair, associate provost and interim dean at KU," said Shulenburger. "This restructuring will enable me to focus more of my time on other campus responsibilities. I am grateful that she has agreed to accept this additional responsibility."
Dean of Continuing Education JoAnn Smith will work closely with McCluskey-Fawcett in the additional role of vice provost for university outreach. In this capacity, Smith will be responsible for coordinating and promoting KU's distance learning programs, which are expected to expand considerably in future years.
"Continuing Education is a significant force for KU," said Shulenburger, "serving the people of Kansas with programs that train police and firefighters, encourage young people to read and enhance the workforce. This expansion of duties will underscore the importance of these programs."
Interim Vice Provost Mary Lee Hummert, who leads the existing Division of Student Affairs, also will work closely with McCluskey-Fawcett, who this fall will chair the search for a permanent successor to retiring Vice Chancellor David Ambler. Hummert also is charged with integrating KU's Academic Services and Student Affairs to create a new organization -- Student Support -- focused directly on student academic success.
Consistent with these changes, the other senior officers reporting to the provost at Lawrence all will be titled vice provosts, responsible for research (Bob Barnhill), information services (Marilu Goodyear), administration and finance (Lindy Eakin), scholarly support (Rich Givens), faculty development (Sandra Gautt) and facilities planning and management (Jim Long).
The vice chancellor and dean of KU's Edward's Campus, Bob Clark, will continue to report directly to the provost, as will the academic deans.
None of the changes announced today has a fiscal impact, said Shulenburger, because no new positions are being created and all salaries remain at existing levels. Existing letterhead and business cards with old titles will be used up before new stationery is ordered. Shulenburger noted that KU's senior administrative costs will continue to be about 68 percent of comparable costs at peer universities in the United States.
McCluskey-Fawcett's return to the Office of the Provost corresponds with Kim Wilcox's starting date as the new dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at KU. Wilcox, a former professor and chair of the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing at KU, served for the past four years in the office of the Kansas Board of Regents, most recently as president and executive director.
-30-