Interim provost and dean named
With the forthcoming departure of Provost Brenda Allen and Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education Corey D. B. Walker, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has announced the appointment of Dr. Carolynn Berry as interim provost and Dr. Kathy Stitts as interim dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education, effective July 1.
Dr. Berry has had a long and distinguished career at WSSU. Since joining the faculty as an assistant professor in 1985, Dr. Berry has served in a number of roles that have increased in responsibility, including as chair of the Department of Physical Education, director of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, interim dean of University College, and interim dean of WSSU’s School of Graduate Studies and Research. She is currently the associate provost for assessment, research and curriculum.
Dr. Stitts began her career at WSSU in 2003 as an associate dean of the School of Business and Economics and associate professor of marketing. She served as associate provost for the Division of Lifelong Learning from 2010-2012 and led University College and Lifelong Learning (UCaLL) as the associate provost and dean since 2012. She will continue to have oversight of UCaLL during the transition; however, day-to-day management will be delegated to the deans and directors.
“The provost and dean positions are critically important to the university,” said Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson. “We intend to conduct a thoughtful and thorough national search in the 2017-2018 academic year to fill these positions permanently; however, we do not want to lose our momentum toward accomplishing the goals outlined in Winston-Salem State University’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2021. In the past 18 months, we have made tremendous strides toward our goals. Drs. Berry and Stitts have been central to our efforts. By tapping them for these interim roles, we are asking them to maintain the progress we have made. This will allow us time to find the right leaders to fill the positions permanently.”
Robinson added: “While this is a time of transition for our university, our commitment to accomplishing the goals of our Strategic Plan is unwavering. I express my gratitude to Dr. Berry and Dr. Stitts for their willingness to take on additional responsibilities during this time. I know you will join me in supporting them in their efforts over the coming year.”
