Klesner Named Associate Provost

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.

"She really did an outstanding job guiding me," Samhat said of Turner. "Her care and concern for this institution is deep, and her desire to serve her colleagues is a much valued quality in the role of associate provost."

"I'll miss working with the terrific people in the associate provosts' and the provost's offices," Turner said. "[T]hey are tremendously hard-working, dedicated, professional and supportive colleagues who have made my work as an administrator so much more effective and rewarding than I had ever imagined it could be."

Turner will return to teaching as a professor of physics in the fall. "She wants to go back to the classroom and teach students," Samhat said. "That's her true love."

"I'm excited about sharing interesting ideas in physics and astronomy with a new group of motivated, eager learners," Turner said. "And I'm looking forward to being able to spend more late nights working at the observatory, without the pressure of morning meetings to dampen my enthusiasm."

Klesner said that he will likely not teach any courses next year. "I've been counseled by past associate provosts that the first year there's a fair amount of learning on the job," Klesner said. "Finding time to devote the kind of time we expect for Kenyon classes is difficult to do." Klesner said he does, however, hope to teach during the second and third years of his term.

International studies major Hannah Stewart '12, Klesner's advisee and student in his Immigration, Citizenship and National Identity course, said she thinks it was a wise decision to make Klesner an associate provost, but she will be upset if she can no longer take other classes with him. "I'm really enjoying my class on immigration, and he's a really helpful advisor," she said. "My [first] year would have been a lot tougher if he hadn't helped me make wise decisions about my classes."

Klesner will also be leaving his position as chair of the Political Science Department when he assumes the role of associate provost. Associate Professor of Political Science Pamela Camerra-Rowe will be taking over as chair of the department, according to Klesner.

According to Samhat, when Klesner moves into his new role, he will work with Sheffield to reallocate the responsibilities of the associate provosts to best suit each of their interests. "I imagine that many of the things that Professor Turner does will be the kind of tasks I'll take up," Klesner said.

The College's reaccreditation process, which should be complete next fall, will play a large role in setting the agenda for the Provost's Office during Klesner's term, according to Samhat. "It's a natural point at the reaccreditation moment to respond in creative ways," he said. He added that it will provide opportunities to examine the College's curriculum, off-campus study programs and interdisciplinary programs.

"In general, one of the goals of Provost Samhat, and one that I'm eager to support, is to further promote global education here," Klesner said. "That's something I would be excited to participate in."