August 04, 2017
Board names interim chancellor; ensures forward momentum as System prepares for future
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg 鈥� The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education today selected Clarion University of Pennsylvania President Karen M. Whitney to serve as interim chancellor beginning Sept. 12.
Whitney, who began her tenure as president of Clarion University in July 2010, will
serve as interim chancellor following Chancellor Frank T. Brogan鈥檚 retirement from
the System next month.
鈥淜aren Whitney has provided strong, steady leadership as president of Clarion University
for the past seven years,鈥� said Board of Governors Chair Cynthia D. Shapira. 鈥淪he
is smart, strategic and pragmatic. Because she has strong relationships across the
System and beyond鈥攁nd is keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities ahead鈥攕he
will be able to hit the ground running so we can continue our forward momentum.
鈥淭he State System鈥檚 mission has never been more clear鈥攖o provide student-centered,
high-quality, affordable higher education for our students in every region across
the state. When students arrive at our 14 universities later this month鈥攁nd as students
and parents consider their higher education choices in the future鈥攖hey can know for
certain that the Board and this system are laser-focused on that mission and are prepared
to do everything necessary to advance it. We are grateful that Karen has agreed to
serve in this vital role at this important time, and we know that she will help us
continue the evolution of our system to be of highest impact.鈥�
Whitney will assume the role of interim chancellor at a time when the Board of Governors
is preparing an inclusive process to develop an implementation plan as the next phase
in the strategic system review, which Chancellor Brogan and the Board of Governors
commissioned last year. The review resulted in a series of recommendations, including鈥攁mong
other things鈥攐rganizing the universities and the System to focus on student success,
updating the governance structure and creating opportunities for greater collaboration
across the System.
鈥淥ur purpose is to ensure we have a 21st century public higher education system that
optimally serves the people of the Commonwealth, and is second to none,鈥� said Shapira.
鈥淚 applaud Chancellor Brogan and the Board for having the courage to tackle issues
that have developed over time in this system,鈥� said Whitney. 鈥淏ecause of the foundation
they have laid, we are prepared to take bold steps toward increasing educational opportunities
for students, modernizing how we do business and ensuring a successful transition
to the next permanent chancellor. That鈥檚 my focus, and that is what I鈥檓 committed
to.鈥�
Whitney earlier this year announced her intent to retire as Clarion鈥檚 president in
June 2018. Instead, she will leave that position in September to assume the role of
interim chancellor.
鈥淚鈥檓 honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve the students, faculty, staff,
alumni and the citizens of this Commonwealth,鈥� said Whitney. 鈥淟et me be clear, the
reason I accepted the Board鈥檚 invitation to serve in this role is because I completely鈥攐ne
hundred percent鈥攂elieve in this system and that every university in it is vital for
this Commonwealth to be successful.鈥�
Whitney recently completed a three-year term as chair of the presidents鈥� council for
the 14 State System universities and is the longest currently serving president in
the System.
鈥淓very student succeeds when Pennsylvania has strong public universities that are
part of a strong system,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 look forward to working with our students,
faculty, staff and all stakeholders as we advance the distinctive mission of all 14
State System universities.
鈥淭his is a heightened time of change and opportunity for our system. I call upon each
of us to seize the moment and work together to continue the positive transformation
of our system, to focus our efforts on how we can help our students and our communities
succeed and to make this system everything it can be.
鈥淥ur united commitment to this cause should be a loud and clear signal to every student
and parent that our universities are serious about providing real access to opportunity,
and we look forward to welcoming more than 100,000 to campus in just a few weeks.鈥�
Chancellor Brogan announced in mid-July his intent to retire Sept. 1. A national search
will begin in the fall for his successor. Executive Vice Chancellor Peter H. Garland
will serve as acting chancellor from Sept. 2 until Whitney鈥檚 arrival on Sept. 12.
鈥淚 look forward to working with Dr. Garland and the team in the chancellor鈥檚 office,鈥�
said Whitney.
As president of Clarion University, Whitney recently announced the university鈥檚 greater
focus on providing professional degree programs that meet the needs of students and
the changing economy. Clarion University currently has the highest number of accredited
professional programs in the System.
鈥淥ver the years, we鈥檝e carefully tracked what our students hope to achieve with a
degree from our university, and have made strategic decisions to ensure we are aligning
with their needs, and the needs of our region,鈥� said Whitney. 鈥淭hat is the same conversation
that is taking place all over the System鈥攁 conversation that is focused on students.鈥�
Whitney previously was vice chancellor for student life and diversity and dean of
students at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and assistant
and associate vice president for student life and director of resident life at the
University of Texas at San Antonio.
She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology and a master鈥檚 degree in public administration,
both from the University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in higher educational administration
from the University of Texas at Austin.
Whitney held numerous positions in the area of residence life at the University of
Houston. She also served as an adjunct assistant professor and instructor in the School
of Education at Indiana University and taught various courses at both the University
of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Houston.
Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher
education in the Commonwealth, enrolling more than 100,000 degree-seeking students
and thousands more in certificate and other career-development programs. Collectively,
the 14 universities that comprise the State System offer more than 2,300 degree and
certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas. Nearly 520,000 State System
university alumni live in Pennsylvania.
The State System universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The universities also operate
branch campuses in Oil City (Clarion), Freeport and Punxsutawney (IUP), and Clearfield
(Lock Haven), and offer classes and programs at several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and in Center City in Philadelphia.