June 01 , 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. -Dr. Dean Kahler has been named Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs—Enrollment
Management at Western Kentucky University.
Dr. Kahler, who has been the Director of Admissions at WKU since 2002, began his new role today (June 1).
“Dr. Kahler possesses the experience, creativity, and energy that is needed to lead the enrollment management planning and initiatives of WKU,” said Dr. Barbara Burch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at WKU. “He is passionate in his commitments and eager to work with the campus community as a whole to achieve WKU’s enrollment management goals. We are fortunate to have Dr. Kahler in this position and as a part of the Academic Affairs leadership team.”
During his tenure in Admissions, WKU experienced record enrollment as well as a 35 percent increase in applications, Dr. Burch said. “He has been a critical part of the leadership team in campus recruiting efforts,” she added.
Dr. Kahler said enrollment management involves several principles beyond the initial focus of recruitment and retention.
“My vision is that an enrollment management strategy should strive to create an environment in which all students are provided with the best student services and opportunities,” he said. “A diverse quality student body is a measure of a successful enrollment management plan and successful alumni are the greatest assets a well-developed enrollment management plan can possess. A university striving to be ‘a leading American university with international reach’ can only achieve that level by serving its constituencies at its very best while being driven by a strong, well-founded enrollment management plan.”
Before coming to WKU, Dr. Kahler was the Interim Associate Director of Admissions and Assistant Director for Market Research at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He earned a doctorate in educational administration in higher education and a master’s of public administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a bachelor’s in sociology from Winona State University in Minnesota.
Dr. Kahler is president-elect for the Kentucky Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and a member of the Kentucky ACT Council.
Dr. Kahler will lead a team of directors representing the areas of Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Academic Advising and Retention, Student Disabilities Services and TRIO Programs. He will be responsible for developing and implementing an enrollment management strategic plan; focusing resources and mobilizing faculty, students, staff and external groups to achieve increased recruitment and retention of a successful and diverse student body; fostering close working relationships with various external constituencies, especially schools; and providing for enrollment management technologies, research and reports.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
-WKU-
"A leading American university with international reach"
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