Kenyon Collegian

Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Marika Garland

Provost Nayef Samhat has appointed Professor of Political Science Joseph Klesner to serve a three-year term starting in fall 2010 as an associate provost. He will join Associate Provost Ric Sheffield and replace Professor of Physics and current Associate Provost Paula Turner, who will return to teaching after serving a four-year term.

Klesner has been on the Kenyon faculty since 1985 and has held a variety of leadership and administrative roles including chair of the Political Science Department, director of the International Studies Program, chair of the faculty and chair of the Curricular Policy Committee. Samhat said he chose Klesner to fill the associate provost position because of this wide range of experience on campus. "He's well-respected among the faculty and an outstanding teacher, scholar and citizen," Samhat said.

According to President S. Georgia Nugent, Klesner has done well in dealing with difficult issues during his past administrative positions, including working on the presidential search that led to hiring her. "He's had quite a bit of experience," she said. "I think he's got a really great track record and an interest in [administration], and I think that's a really nice combination."

"I've enjoyed the administrative responsibilities I have held in the past," Klesner said. "I think that the range of things that one does as an associate provost are both an excellent opportunity to shape how the academic division of the College operates and to contribute to the smoother running of the College."

The duties of an associate provost include organizing the faculty evaluation system, aiding in searches for new faculty members, sitting on faculty committees, working on budgeting for the academic division and overseeing administrative assistants, according to Klesner. He also said, "The provost division has some funds to support student participation in academic conferences. … I think one of the pleasurable jobs [Turner's] had is being able to send students to these conferences."

Klesner said that the opportunity to work with Samhat played a large role in his deciding to take the position of associate provost. "I have come to respect Professor Samhat as provost," he said. "I want to be able to support his work, because I think he's started off on a very good foot, and we want to keep it going that way."

"I'm delighted that Professor Klesner will be joining us," Samhat said. "He will be joining another outstanding associate provost, Ric Sheffield." According to Samhat, after this semester, Sheffield will have one year left of what is usually a three-year term. Turner, however, will be finishing a four-year term at the end of this semester because she agreed to retain the position an extra year to help with the transition in the position of provost, according to Nugent.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools