Dr. Susan L. Edwards has been appointed interim vice provost for faculty affairs at Appalachian State University. Her appointment is effective Aug. 1.
She replaces Dr. Tony G. Carey who has returned to the Department of History after serving in the position for seven years.
“Dr. Edwards has had a breadth of leadership experiences since she arrived at Appalachian. Her insights into faculty, curriculum and student issues, and her strategic planning and management skills will make her a valuable addition to the Office of Academic Affairs,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Darrell Kruger.
Dr. Edwards has served as chair of Appalachian’s Department of Biology since 2012. She came to the university as an assistant professor in 2007.
She completed the BRIDGES Academic Leadership for Women program at the University of North Carolina in 2014, has chaired Appalachian’s Council of Chairs since 2014 and been a member of the council since 2009. She chairs the Academic Leadership Development Program advisory board, is a member of the Faculty Workload Task Force and a past member of the Post Tenure Review Task Force. She was a non-voting member of Faculty Senate from 2014-15.
As interim vice provost, Dr. Edwards will lead policy development, implementation and assessment, particularly in relation to faculty matters; provide oversight and support for revision and interpretation of the Faculty Handbook; work with the provost, faculty, departmental chairs and deans; provide clear understanding of promotion, tenure, and reappointment and other faculty personnel policies; and serve as Academic Affairs liaison on all personnel matters and work closely with the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Compliance and the Office of the General Counsel.
In addition, she will work closely with Faculty Senate and represent the Provost on the Senate Agenda Committee and the Faculty Governance Committee; oversee faculty development programs which enhance teaching, research, creative and service activities as well as helping faculty to sustain rewarding personal lives while advancing their careers; supervise the director of the Office of Faculty and Academic Development; supervise the director of Learning Technology Services; serve as liaison to UNC General Administration regarding Academic Affairs issues and as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) liaison; and represent the provost and Office of Academic Affairs on various university committees.
Prior to coming to Appalachian, Dr. Edwards was an associate professor at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. Edwards has a Ph.D. from Deakin University in Australia, and a Master of Science degree from The University of Melbourne in Australia. Her Bachelor of Science degree also is from Deakin University.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 20,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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