The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s new interim chancellor visited Kutztown University on Oct. 11, during her tour of the 14 PASSHE schools.
Dr. Karen Whitney was named interim chancellor in August after Chancellor Frank T. Brogan announced his retirement. She took office in September. Prior to her appointment, she was the 16th president of Clarion University since 2010.
During her visit, Whitney met with students, faculty leaders, administrators, legislators and members of local media. At the meetings, she was joined by Rep. Mark Gillen, 128th District, House of Representatives; Sen. Judy Schwank, 11th Senatorial District; Cynthia Shapira, chair, PASSHE Board of Governors; and KU President Dr. Kenneth Hawkinson.
“I am here as chancellor to ensure that all 14 universities are very successful,” said Whitney while meeting with media in Old Main on the KU campus. “Based on our review report that made suggestions of the future of higher education, we’re in the process of redesigning our system to ensure student success, to leverage the strengths of all 14 universities and to transform our approach to governance and leadership throughout the system.”
Whitney emphasized that the review report recommends not closing or consolidating any of the PASSHE schools.
“We are now moving to collaborative approaches,” said Whitney. “All 14 universities have strengths, leverage those strengths across the universities to advance the Commonwealth. That’s new. We’re going to redesign ourselves to achieve that so we can work with students to be more successful. The end goal is student success.”
“What does that actually mean? So now we have to define that,” Shapira said. “We haven’t gotten to the detailed action plan yet but we’re going to define what that means and we’re going to develop that action plan.”
“It’s going to be university defined and university driven,” said Whitney. “The purpose of the system is to ensure the success of strong and vibrant universities so they can achieve student success… There will not be a top down direction here on what universities will and will not do. There will be an expectation to leverage resources to advance student success and to not act in isolation.”
The message she wants to send to students is that PASSHE’s number one priority throughout the system is student success. She said visiting the 14 PASSHE schools within her first month as interim chancellor is to show her commitment to students.
“Getting out of Harrisburg and on the ground with the faculty, staff and students to truly understand the current experience at all 14 universities. All 14 have strengths and they are distinctive in their own right and you’ve got to go there and see them to really understand.”
During her tour of the PASSHE schools, Whitney learned that students at all 14 universities love their faculty and faculty are very dedicated to students.
“What is distinctive is how they go about doing it… the academic programs being offered have different flavors,” said Whitney. “That’s what’s really exciting, is to see the different takes and approaches because every single university has its own history, its own culture, its own purpose, its own people but I think that fundamental relationship between students and the employees of the university … cut across all of the institutions.”
Whitney enjoyed talking with KU students.
“They’re hard working. They are enthusiastic about their university,” said Whitney who was impressed to hear that many KU students’ future plans include graduate school and jobs already secured for after graduation. “Kutztown students are very accomplished and very excited. They are very appreciative of the faculty and staff that have made their college experience here so relevant.”
Schwank saw the visit as a great opportunity to get to talk with the interim chancellor and the chair of the Board of Governors. While Schwank serves on the Board, this offered a new perspective on what will happen with the future of the PASSHE universities.
“Their ideas were very refreshing. We were able to bounce off some of our thoughts regarding how the legislature feels in terms of the future of the system,” said Schwank. “I’m walking away from this feeling very positive.”
“It certainly enhances my confidence in the leadership that we have in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the arena of higher education,” said Gillen, who is a KU alumnus.
“I think the benefits of this dialogue certainly went both ways. I think they learned a lot from us through these discussions and we learned a lot about them,” said Hawkinson, KU President. “I think there is a sense on campus of excitement and hope because through the things that have been said by our leaders, I think they have a lot of confidence in the system as we go forward.”
Whitney will serve as interim chancellor through summer 2018, “to get a robust agenda done and to lay the ground work for the next chancellor.”
A national candidate search for a new chancellor has begun. The Board of Governors anticipates naming a new chancellor by end of summer 2018.
When asked if Hawkinson would be a candidate for chancellor, Hawkinson said with a laugh, “No, I will not be a candidate for chancellor… I am committed to Kutztown University.”
