O'Keefe to step down as Carl R. Ice College of Engineering dean
Friday, May 9, 2025
After an administrative tenure marked by noteworthy accomplishment and trajectory-shaping progress, Matt O'Keefe, dean of the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, will return to faculty as a professor in the Tim Taylor Department of Chemical Engineering. O'Keefe will continue as dean through June 2025.
O'Keefe assumed the role of dean in June 2020, a time that commanded immediate, decisive leadership in order to drive the college forward and sustain operational continuity during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With both stability and growth in demand, O'Keefe excelled. During his tenure as dean, the college obtained significant legislative support in the form of a 10-year renewal of the University Engineering Initiative Act. Philanthropic support for the college also soared, as demonstrated by a nearly $70 million overall endowment growth during the past five years. Furthermore, the college has demonstrated steady growth in research expenditures, with research awards averaging approximately $25 million per year across all departments.
"Dr. O'Keefe has led the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering during a time of significant institutional transformation and transition — and he has done so successfully by remaining adaptable, measured, engaged and approachable," said Jesse Perez Mendez, provost and executive vice president. "I want to personally thank Dr. O'Keefe for his esteemed service and leadership."
Under O'Keefe's leadership, the college has accomplished many additional notable achievements:
Student success and educational access
- Increased first-time freshmen and transfer enrollment by 20%.
- Restructured the college scholarship program, which resulted in tripling the number of undergraduate students receiving financial aid from the college and doubling the total amount of awards granted.
- Continued the winning tradition of nationally competitive student design teams, including the Kansas State University Concrete Canoe team and two-time U.S. Department of Energy national champion team Wildcat Wind Power.
Faculty support
- Championed faculty advancement by supporting numerous award nominations, resulting in college faculty earning recognitions such as the Presidential Award for Outstanding Department Head, Commerce Bank and W. T. Kemper Foundation Awards, University Outstanding Scholar, University Distinguished Professor and more.
- Initiated a faculty hiring strategy to increase the number of tenure-track faculty members in the college.
Accreditation
- Secured full six-year accreditation for all 12 engineering and computing undergraduate degree programs.
- This included initial accreditation for the cybersecurity, environmental engineering and biomedical engineering programs.
Advancement of facilities and infrastructure
- Completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of west Seaton Hall.
- Remodeled multiple laboratory and classroom spaces throughout the engineering complex.
Strategic planning
- Developed an aggressive strategic plan in support of the university's overarching Next-Gen K-State strategic plan.
More information will be shared in the coming weeks regarding a search for an interim dean and a subsequent nationwide search for the permanent posting.