SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley announced today that the college has added a seasoned professional to its senior leadership team, hiring Dr. Kathleen G. Kerr as its new Vice President for Student Affairs. Kerr will be joining the SUNY Oswego campus community on Aug. 1, 2021.
Kerr comes to SUNY Oswego from the University of Delaware where she most recently served as the Associate Vice President for Student Life. In that position, she oversaw seven functional areas within student affairs, serving as an advocate for the student experience and committed to student success, student-learning and data-informed decision-making – all while focused on creating a welcoming and inclusive community for all students.
“Kathleen has an outstanding record of leadership in student affairs and a career-long commitment to student success,” said President Stanley in an announcement shared with the SUNY Oswego campus community. “Her thirty years of experience as an associate vice president for student life, and in a variety of advancing positions within the Office of Residence Life and Housing at the University of Delaware have prepared her well, and position her to make immediate contributions as SUNY Oswego’s Vice President for Student Affairs.”
Stanley added, “Dr. Kerr is a student-centered, visionary leader with a deep understanding of student development and student affairs, and is committed to cultivating an accessible, equitable and diverse environment. Our entire college community is excited to welcome her to our campus where she will lead a team in the collaborative creation and maintenance of a culture of care in the division student affairs, and across the other divisions of the institution.
“I am thrilled to join the Oswego team and energized to become a part of this thriving, inclusive campus community that puts students at the center of its existence,” shared Kerr. “I look forward to leading alongside our students, faculty and staff, working to develop and then actualize a vision for Oswego where all students who arrive graduate, thriving and poised to make a difference in the world around us.”
As SUNY Oswego’s chief student affairs officer, Kerr will serve as a member of the President’s Council; oversee Auxiliary Services, Campus Life, Counseling Services, Health Services, Intercollegiate Athletics, Residence Life and Housing, Dean of Students Office, and Student Conduct; and provide leadership to strategically plan, develop and advance a strategic vision for the Division of Student Affairs while also strengthening collaborations across campus boundaries.
Her time at Delaware has spanned three decades. Initially hired as an assistant area coordinator, she advanced to director of residence life for programs and student leadership, and then director of residence life prior to becoming executive director of residence life and housing.
In his announcement of Kerr’s departure, University of Delaware Vice President for Student Life José-Luis Riera wrote, “During her tenure as Associate Vice President, Kathleen has shouldered the weight of overseeing a large and complex portfolio of student engagement and leadership units, student wellbeing units, and facilities integral to the fabric of our campus. She leaves a legacy of deep and significant accomplishments that directly impact the student experience.”
Kerr has served in various leadership roles within the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), one of two premier international student affairs associations. She has been a member of many other student life and housing associations, authored and co-authored a number of articles, chapters, manuscripts and most recently a book entitled Curricular Approach to Student Affairs: A Revolutionary Shift for Learning Beyond the Classroom. She has received numerous awards celebrating her contributions to the field of student affairs and is frequently invited to present or train higher education colleagues around the country.
She earned her Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware; a master’s degree in college student personnel administration, and bachelor’s degree in psychology from Indiana University.