May 3, 2024
Dean of K-State Global Campus Karen Pedersen announces retirement
Submitted by Division of Communications and Marketing
Karen Pedersen, dean of Kansas State University Global Campus, has announced her retirement, effective Aug. 5. Pedersen was named dean of Global Campus in January 2018.
Global Campus contributed much to the health and vitality of the university during the six years of Pedersen's tenure, including taking a central role in K-State's pivot to remote instruction during the global pandemic. Under Pedersen's leadership, Global Campus experienced a straight-line upward trajectory in online program offerings, online enrollments and online learners served. In 2022, Pedersen and Global Campus launched the university's Microcredential Initiative.
"Since joining K-State, Dr. Pedersen has been a consistent voice championing academic innovation in teaching to meet all learners where they are," said Debbie Mercer, interim provost and executive vice president. "I thank her for her leadership in elevating the university's online programming and best practices in virtual teaching and for encouraging all of us to be creative as we serve new learners as a next-generation land-grant university."
As part of the new operational excellence framework for academic innovation announced in December 2023, Pedersen will serve as acting associate vice provost for academic innovation over the summer to support the academic innovation structural transition as a national search for the associate vice provost position is launched.