Innovision Fall 2019

SPRING 2019 | 31 Where were you before accepting your position at KU? What was your role there? After I graduated from college, I worked in the defense industry. My Prior to coming to Kutztown, I was a lecturer and the Director of Business Undergraduate Programs and Accreditation in the School of Business at the University of Washington (UW) Bothell. I taught courses primarily in the areas of project management, operations management, statistics, and business process improvement. As the director of Business undergraduate programs, I was responsible for instructional and operational aspects of two undergraduate Business programs, one on-campus and one off-campus. This included student admission and retention, academic advising, curriculum design, class scheduling, faculty workload planning, part-time faculty recruiting and mentoring, and defining, implementing and interpreting academic policies. And I was responsible for ensuring maintenance of AACSB accreditation for the School of Business. Before entering academia, I held leadership positions with companies in the medical device and defense industries. After I graduated from college, I developed software and performed safety testing for nuclear missiles. From there, I moved to space systems, developing satellites, launch vehicles and tracking stations. After ten years in the defense industry, I switched to the medical device industry, which is a very different product set and user group than defense but similarly a regulated industry. This work primarily focused on developing ultrasound systems, cardiology devices and electronic health information systems. Then after ten years in the medical device industry I started a consulting business, where I worked with a variety of organizations, from start-ups to Fortune 100s, in a wide range of industries.. What responsibilities do you fulfill in your new position as Assistant Dean? My first focus will be on AACSB accreditation for the Business programs. I am also involved in faculty workload planning for course scheduling. Dr. Brookins, the other assistant dean in the College of Business, is primarily responsible for student-facing efforts in the Dean’s office, while I will be working faculty-facing efforts. When you were offered this position, why did you say yes? It is a wonderful opportunity, both professional and personally. I had been with UW Bothell for 12 years, first as part-time faculty, then as full-time faculty, and then in the dual faculty/staff position. I was looking a position where I could leverage my knowledge and experience to continue to grow and contribute. I was also ready for a change of scenery. I liked living in the Pacific Northwest, but Seattle was the longest I had ever lived anywhere and I was getting restless. I lived in the eastern part of the country just once before, for a couple years when I was in college, and I was hoping to get the chance to spend some more time in the area. Kutztown turned out to be the kind of environment and the location I was looking for. What do you like most about KU so far? I like the people. Everyone has been very helpful and welcoming. And it is clear that students are the priority. What is different about KU from where you were before? The campuses are very different. UWBothell is primarily a commuter campus that was built about 30 years ago, so it has a much smaller footprint and more modern in appearance. The main campus area consists of three academic buildings with another building that houses the library and bookstore, which are shared with the co- located community college. To walk end-to-end of the UWBothell part of the campus is comparable to walking from deFran to MSU. And given the difference in age of the two institutions, KU has a more established culture and stronger traditions. Also, even though UW Bothell is in the Seattle area, there is no Starbucks on campus. What makes you excited for the future at KU? What are you looking forward to accomplishing? I am most looking forward to a successful accreditation review in February. I am also trying to take advantage of opportunities that come up and figure out how I can most effectively contribute to the College of Business and KU. KIMBERLY O’NEILL Assistant Dean