Dr. Helen Giles-Gee Selected to Become 9th President of Keene State College
KEENE, N.H. 4/25/05 - University System of New Hampshire (USNH) Chancellor Stephen J. Reno announced today that Dr. Helen Giles-Gee will be the next president of Keene State College (KSC). Dr. Giles-Gee has over three decades of experience as a professor and administrator at public institutions of higher education, and most recently served as provost at Rowan University in New Jersey. She will assume the Keene State College presidency on July 1, 2005, from Dr. Stanley Yarosewick, who is retiring after serving as the College’s president for 11 years.
“Dr. Giles-Gee thoroughly impressed the search committee with her knowledge of higher education, her management style, her sense of community and good citizenship, and her ideas on how to build upon the fine work that has enhanced the reputation of Keene State College over the past decade,” said Chancellor Reno.
Dr. Giles-Gee is a professor of education at Rowan University, where she served as provost from 2001 to 2005. As provost, she was responsible for the academic affairs division including the Colleges of Business, Communication, Education, Engineering, Fine and Performing Arts, and Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School, in addition to Information Resources, 19 centers and institutes, and the Rowan University campus in Camden, New Jersey. Prior to coming to Rowan, Giles-Gee served as the dean of the School of Professional Studies at the State University of New York at Cortland; associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs and director of articulation at the University System of Maryland; executive assistant to the president and professor of biology at Towson University; and as a tenured associate professor and chair of biology at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
“Keene State College is a well-established, outstanding liberal arts college with a rich foundation in the professions, particularly, teacher education. As a lifelong educator, I am honored to be named the next president of such a remarkable institution,” Dr. Giles-Gee said. “Together with the faculty, administrators, professional and support staff, and students, we will assure that Keene will continue to move forward to meet the increasing demands of the future with strong demonstrations of academic excellence and valuable contributions to the Keene community, the state of New Hampshire, and the country.”
“I look forward to working with Chancellor Reno and his staff, Board Chair Lietz and the entire Board of Trustees to support the citizens of New Hampshire by assuring a high quality public higher education. My family and I look forward to becoming full participants in the college, the Keene community, and the state,” she added.
A search committee composed of individuals representing the faculty, administrators, students at KSC, the Keene community, and members of the USNH Board of Trustees, reviewed over 100 applications over the past several months, and selected four finalists in March. The finalists visited the campus and participated in several public forums with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Dr. Giles-Gee was selected as the top candidate, and the Board of Trustees approved her appointment during a special Board meeting in Keene on April 25.
“There was significant national interest in this position and our pool of candidates was very strong,” said Trustee John Moody, the superintendent of schools in Derry, New Hampshire and chair of the search committee. “However, Dr. Giles-Gee became a clear choice of the search committee by demonstrating the leadership and communications skills the next president of Keene State College must have to build upon the successes of Dr. Yarosewick.”
Dr. Giles-Gee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychobiology, a Master of Science degree in science education, and a Ph.D. with distinction in measurement techniques of experimental research from the University of Pennsylvania. She also earned a Master of Science degree in zoology from Rutgers University. She has earned scholarships and fellowships in support of her education and has been widely published during her career on issues facing higher education including urban revitalization, faculty workload, student retention, transfer articulation, standards, program review, K-16, and entrepreneurship.
“During her visit to Keene State College, Dr. Giles-Gee generated a lot of excitement and energy,” said Dr. Peggy Walsh, associate professor of sociology and member of the search committee. “She engaged with faculty and staff and connected well with the students. She has an impressive combination of administrative skills and also knows her way around the classroom. I have great confidence that her leadership will motivate the faculty to make important decisions about general education.”
