College of Liberal Arts & Sciences announces associate dean for academic innovation and student success


Thu, 05/03/2018

author

Kristi Henderson

LAWRENCE – A faculty member and administrator with extensive experience in enhancing teaching, mentoring and curriculum at KU has been named the new associate dean for academic innovation and student success in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Kansas.

Holly Storkel, professor of speech-language-hearing, will step into the position with a semester of experience serving as interim associate dean in the same role. She succeeded Paul Atchley in January after he was selected as senior associate vice president and dean of undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida.

“Holly has an impressive track record in improving the academic experience on many levels. I look forward to ongoing strides in our mission to enhance the student experience as she continues to lead our efforts in this area,” said Clarence Lang, interim dean of the College.

Storkel is a full professor who joined the faculty in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences & Disorders in 2001. She served as department chair from 2013-2017, as associate chair from 2010-2013 and as a KU Senior Administrative Fellow (2008-2009).

“I have greatly enjoyed the work that I’ve been able to do in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing to assess student learning and program outcomes and then redesign advising practices, courses and curricula to boost student success,” Storkel said. “This work has required partnerships with many units in the College and across campus. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with units inside and outside the College to enhance the KU experience for students.”

As associate dean for academic innovation and student success, Storkel will continue to be heavily involved in efforts to enhance curriculum and academics across the College. She will work closely with student success offices – College Advising & Student Services for undergraduates, College Office of Graduate Affairs for graduates and College Outreach & Online Programs. She will oversee initiatives for the College including course redevelopment efforts, student retention efforts, pedagogic support in partnership with the Center for Teaching Excellence, refining strategies for evaluating teaching and mentorship excellence, and continued exploration of new methods of course delivery, such as mini-mesters and online courses.

Storkel has been actively engaged in teaching and mentoring, earning multiple grants from the KU Center for Teaching Excellence to support course transformation and receiving five university teaching and mentoring awards, including the K. Barbara Schowen Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (2007) and the William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence (2007). She currently serves on CTE’s advisory board and previously served as faculty fellow at the KU Center for Undergraduate Research (2013-2014). Storkel has spearheaded numerous efforts in the speech-language-hearing department to improve student learning and student success, leading to her department being awarded the University Degree-Level Assessment Award (2016), the College’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising (2015), and the CTE Departmental Award for Exceptional Teaching and Learning (2008).

She is also an active and renowned scholar. Her research focuses on understanding why some children learn the sounds and words of their native language so easily while others struggle and on discovering what can be done to help the children who struggle. Her work has been supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders through a K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (2001-2006), an R03 Small Grant (2004-2007), and several R01 Research Grants (2006-2013; 2013-2018). She was named fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 2014.

The College is the heart of KU, educating the most students, producing the most research and collaborating with nearly every entity at KU. The College is home to more than 50 departments, programs and centers, as well as the School of the Arts, School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures and School of Public Affairs & Administration.

Thu, 05/03/2018

author

Kristi Henderson

Media Contacts

Kristi Henderson

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

785-864-3663