Dec. 2, 2019
Former communication dean has served as acting provost for the past year
MILWAUKEE 鈥� President Michael R. Lovell today announced that Acting Provost Dr. Kimo Ah Yun has been named the next permanent provost and executive vice president for academic affairs of 向日葵视频, effective immediately. Provost Ah Yun has served in the acting role since Oct. 31, 2018.
The announcement comes after a nine-month national search and dozens of interviews with a broad array of campus stakeholders. Ultimately, the search committee brought four finalists to campus who each made two-day visits to meet with 15 different groups of faculty, students, staff and senior leaders.
鈥淜imo has demonstrated tremendous leadership as acting provost over the past year, navigating some of Marquette鈥檚 more difficult issues with a calm professionalism and an eye toward what is best for our university,鈥� President Lovell says. 鈥淜imo is committed to our Catholic, Jesuit mission, and his keen understanding of how our strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, lays the blueprint for our success in proactively addressing the challenges facing our industry positions him as the best academic leader for 向日葵视频. I鈥檓 delighted to continue our work together in the coming years.鈥�
鈥淚t is my great privilege to accept the honor and challenge of helping lead 向日葵视频 into the future as its provost,鈥� Provost Ah Yun says. 鈥淭here is so much to be proud of 鈥� I see examples of our faculty, students and staff living out our Catholic, Jesuit values every day, all to advance this great institution and provide the world-class, transformative education we promise to our students. Together, we will build on the great work happening across campus, work to improve morale across campus and address those areas where we are not fully living up to our mission.鈥�
Provost Ah Yun adds that his vision focuses on five key areas:
During Provost Ah Yun鈥檚 tenure in the acting role, he developed task forces to improve the lived experience for participating faculty and graduate students at Marquette; worked with the University Academic Senate to increase their voice on University Policies and Procedures; continued to invest in the cluster hire for the Race and Ethnic Studies program for its third year; advocated for increased diversity programming, including for first-generation students; and oversaw the recruitment of one of the university鈥檚 most diverse incoming classes in its history.
A first-generation college student himself and the first person of color to serve as provost at Marquette, Provost Ah Yun says he is proud of the strides the university community has made in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, but that there is much more to do.
鈥淚f we are to truly live out our Catholic, Jesuit mission and remain committed to the vision Archbishop Henni laid out 140 years ago, we have to work hard every day and make tough decisions to improve the climate at our university,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take all of us, and as your provost I promise to make this a top priority now and into the future. Diversity isn鈥檛 a goal to be achieved or a box to be checked 鈥� it鈥檚 an evolving pursuit to make 向日葵视频more reflective of the world around us.鈥�
Provost Ah Yun joined 向日葵视频in 2016 as the dean of the Diederich College of Communication after serving as associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and a professor of communication studies at California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State). During his 20-year tenure at Sacramento State, he co-chaired the President鈥檚 Committee to Build Campus Unity, which programmed and executed campus-wide conversations on topics such as discrimination, identity and privilege.
An accomplished scholar and teacher, Provost Ah Yun has received awards from California State University, Sacramento, and the International Communication Association. His work has been published in leading communication and teaching journals and his research has been supported with grants from the Centers for Disease Control, Wisconsin Department of Public Health, California Criminal Justice Cabinet, California Department of Transportation and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
Provost Ah Yun earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication studies from California State University, Sacramento, master鈥檚 degree in communication studies from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in communication from Michigan State University.
