Ithaca College has announced the appointment of Kathleen Rountree as provost and vice president for academic affairs. An experienced administrator with a diverse background in higher education, Rountree has served since 2004 as associate provost for undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She will begin her new duties in Ithaca on August 1.
“I look forward to working with the deans, the faculty and the staff to continue Ithaca College’s long commitment to academic excellence,” said Rountree. “I share Ithaca’s commitments to students, to academic programs that are distinctive and exciting, to the role of faculty as scholars and teachers and to the responsibility of the college to be a leader in the important issues of our time. My goal for students is that their college experience will encourage them to redefine and expand their personal and professional goals.”
“Dr. Rountree comes to Ithaca with a keen commitment to quality undergraduate education,” said President Peggy R. Williams. “She has an extensive track record in leading campus-wide initiatives and experience in working with diverse populations. That knowledge will serve us well as we continue to plan and implement major academic and institutional priorities, including the Core Experience, All-College Honors Program and new ‘Student Success’ model.”
At UNC-Greensboro, Rountree has been responsible for overseeing strategic planning and curricular development, assessment and accreditation, Living/Learning Communities and the University Teaching and Learning Center. She directed the planning and formation of the International Honors College, a program designed to enhance the traditional concentration on a liberal education with a global and international focus.
Rountree served in 1999–2000 as a fellow of the American Council on Education, an intensive development program in higher education leadership. During her fellowship, she worked with national experts in higher education on initiatives in diversity, technology and globalization. She was given a Fulbright Award in 2005 to take part in the U.S.–Germany Seminar for Administrators in International Education.
An accomplished musician, Rountree holds a doctor of music degree from Florida State University. She has served as dean and professor of music for the College of Performing & Visual Arts at the University of Northern Colorado and as associate dean for graduate studies and professor of music for the College of Music & Dramatic Arts at Louisiana State University. She has performed as a pianist throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and is featured on a CD entitled American Music for Flute and Piano, published by Centaur Records.
“With our founding as the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, it is a pleasant coincidence that Dr. Rountree will be our first provost to come from such a substantial music background,” said Williams. “I want to thank the search committee for its diligent efforts on behalf of the entire Ithaca College community, and Jim Malek for his service as interim provost and vice president.”
Rountree’s writings have appeared in The Academic Leader and the Bulletin of the American Association of Higher Education, as well as in such music publications as Clavier, The American Music Teacher and Piano Quarterly. She has presented at national meetings of the American Association of Higher Education, Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences, National Association of Schools of Music and Music Teachers National Association.
Among other community activities, Rountree has volunteered her time with the United Way, Senior Olympics, Project Linus, Tour for the Cure and Delta Women’s Clinic.
Rountree succeeds Peter Bardaglio, who had served as provost since 2002 and announced last January that he would be stepping down at the end of the current academic year.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20070516145353383