Vice Chancellor, Division of Student Life 1999-2010
Karen Whitney, Ph.D. joined IU Indianapolis in 1999 as the first Vice-Chancellor for the new Division of Student Life. Charged with organizing the new division, Whitney worked to create initiatives that truly represent the needs of IU Indianapolis students. She undertook numerous projects to build community among IU Indianapolis students and held a leadership position on the Chancellor's Diversity Cabinet.
Since coming to IU Indianapolis in 1999, Whitney led two capital campaigns to finance renovations on campus -- one to finance the construction of the new campus center and the other to finance the restoration of the historic Ball Gardens. Whitney not only managed the campaign to raise money for the new student center, but also oversaw its planning, development, and completion.
When Whitney arrived at IU Indianapolis in 1999, student housing was sorely needed. Whitney led a successful campus housing initiative to increase on-campus housing for IU Indianapolis students. She also developed the Residential Learning Community Initiative which seeks to pair academic interests with residence life.
Whitney believes that a core aspect of leadership at public urban universities involves service to the community and acted on this belief by joining a number of Indianapolis civic organizations. She was active in the BOS-Community Development Corporation, the Indiana Avenue Cultural District, and Spirit and Place. Whitney left IU Indianapolis in July 2010 to become President of Clarion University in Pennsylvania.
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