September 12, 2017
Interim chancellor to spend first days meeting with students at Slippery Rock, Indiana universities
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg 鈥� Demonstrating her No. 1 priority, Dr. Karen M. Whitney鈥攖he new interim chancellor of Pennsylvania鈥檚 State System of Higher Education鈥攚ill spend her first days on the job on campuses meeting with students and others at Slippery Rock and Indiana universities of Pennsylvania.
鈥淚 want to spend my first days as interim chancellor listening and learning,鈥� said
Dr. Whitney, whose tenure as interim chancellor begins today. 鈥淚 want to hear what
is important to our students, and let them know my priorities. Everything we do at
each of our universities鈥攁nd as a system鈥攕hould be focused on our students and their
success.鈥�
Dr. Whitney will visit Slippery Rock University today and IUP tomorrow. In addition
to meeting with students on both campuses, she also plans to meet today with representatives
of faculty and staff, and tomorrow with the university presidents.
鈥淚t鈥檚 impressive that Dr. Whitney will spend her first day on the job out here on
the campus,鈥� said Brian Swatt, IUP鈥檚 student body president and a student member of
the Board of Governors. 鈥淭here are so many opportunities and so many possibilities
ahead for our universities and our system, and we look forward to talking with her
about that.鈥�
鈥淭hese are just the first of many visits I plan to make to our universities,鈥� Dr.
Whitney said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to have collaborative, open and trusting relationships
with students, faculty and staff across the System. As we build these connections,
we will enhance our ability to advance the distinctive roles of each of our universities.
鈥淓very student succeeds by having strong state universities and a strong State System.
That will be among my driving priorities as I work to help ensure the System鈥檚 continued
advancement and a successful transition to the next era of system leadership.鈥�
Dr. Whitney previously served for more than seven years as president of Clarion University
of Pennsylvania. She is expected to serve as interim chancellor until the conclusion
of a national search for a permanent chancellor sometime next year. 鈥淢y job is to
keep the System moving forward while we search for the next chancellor, and I鈥檓 laser-focused
on that,鈥� she said.
鈥淒r. Whitney is smart, strategic and pragmatic,鈥� said Board of Governors Chair Cynthia
D. Shapira. 鈥淏ecause she has strong relationships across the System and beyond鈥攁nd
is keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities ahead鈥擨鈥檓 confident she will hit
the ground running so we can continue our forward momentum.
鈥淪he is student focused, which is clearly evident from how she plans to start her
tenure as interim chancellor. This meshes perfectly with our mission of providing
high-quality, affordable higher educational opportunities to students in every region
of the state, and we鈥檙e grateful to have Karen in this vital role at this important
time.鈥�
Dr. Whitney assumes the role of interim chancellor as the Board of Governors is preparing
an inclusive process to develop an implementation plan as the next phase in the strategic
system review, which the Board and former chancellor commissioned last year.
鈥淥ur purpose is to ensure we have a 21st century public higher education system that
is second to none, and optimally serves the people of the Commonwealth,鈥� said Shapira,
describing the ultimate goal of the review.
鈥淚 applaud the Board and the System for having the courage to take these important
steps for our universities,鈥� said Dr. Whitney. 鈥淏ecause of the foundation they鈥檝e
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.鈥�
Dr. Whitney promised a 鈥渧ery intense and productive year, using a transparent, highly
communicative, collaborative and evidenced-based leadership style.鈥�
鈥淩obust, public higher education is critically important to the future of Pennsylvania,鈥�
she said. 鈥淚 will talk with and listen to folks who are committed to working together
to drive this very productive agenda to advance every university.鈥�
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.