Dr. Lorin Basden Arnold has been named provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Kutztown University, announced Friday by university president Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson. Basden Arnold will begin at KU Monday, June 28.
Basden Arnold, who will serve as the university’s chief academic officer and as a member of the president’s cabinet, will be second-in-command for the institution. Her position serves as the main advocate for student success and the pursuit of academic excellence. This will include oversight of educational, scholarly, service and research initiatives throughout the division of Academic Affairs. In addition, the position oversees all technology efforts at the university.
“The selection of Dr. Basden Arnold is an ideal match for Kutztown University and our many outstanding students, faculty, staff and administrators,” Hawkinson said. “Her solid mix of experience, including nine years as a dean, three years as a provost and impressive credentials as a teacher, scholar and provider of service will be highly beneficial to our campus.
“Dr. Basden Arnold has relative experience in working for two state systems and will bring in new ideas and best practices. She was noted throughout the interview process for her willingness to collaborate and work with all members of our community, which will definitely contribute to her success in the years ahead.”
Basden Arnold comes to KU from SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, N.Y., where she served three years as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; and five years as professor of Communication. She provided leadership and direction for six academic divisions, serving nearly 7,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students with more than 150 programs. She led the administration for multiple administrative, curricular and co-curricular units including Strategic Planning and Assessment, the Scholar’s Mentorship Program, the Sojourner Truth Library, the Center for International Programs, the Honors Program, the Center for Student Success, the Office of Academic Advising, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the Office of Sponsored Programs.
“I am truly thrilled to be joining KU, a university that has utilized its more than 150-year history to build excellence in a liberal arts education helping students prepare for success in their personal, professional and civic lives,” Basden Arnold said. “As a first-generation college student who attended a state school and has spent decades of service at state-supported schools, I have a real appreciation for the work that KU does to support diverse student populations as they work to reach their potential. It was clear to me from the start that Kutztown University is a welcoming learning community and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Before SUNY New Paltz, Basden Arnold spent seven years as dean of the College of Communication and Creative Arts at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J. She provided leadership for six academic departments and nearly 250 faculty and staff, serving more than 1,700 students enrolled in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs at an institution of 16,000 students. She oversaw an $11 million budget and also established the Rowan Writing Center.
She has nearly 30 publications, including two upcoming in The Oxford Handbook of Metaphor in Organization Studies and Maternal Regret. She has presented at numerous conferences, served on multiple committees and has extensive professional community service, most recently as a guest reviewer for Demeter Press and Developmental Psychology.
“Dr. Basden Arnold emerged as the best candidate from a long and thorough search process,” said Dr. Warren Hilton, search committee chair, and KU’s vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “She brings a wealth of outstanding experience to campus and I look forward to working with her in helping Dr. Hawkinson and the other vice presidents lead KU into the 2020s. I want to thank the members of the search committee and my many colleagues across campus who devoted a tremendous amount of time in helping us select Dr. Basden Arnold as KU’s next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.”
A three-time graduate of Purdue University, Basden Arnold earned her doctorate in interpersonal communication in 1996, her master’s degree in public affairs/issue management in 1991 and her bachelor’s degree in communication/public relations in 1988.
She began working at Rowan in 1998 and formerly taught at Purdue University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
Basden Arnold and her husband, Derek, have six adult children and currently resides in Collingswood, N.J.
