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Newly-appointed Provost Neeli Bendapudi looks to use role to give back to the University
► CONNER MITCHELL
@connermichellO
Now-Provost Neeli Bendapudi gives a presentation on her candidacy for the position. Bendapudi took office on July 1.
When newly-appointed Provost Neeli Bendapudi concluded her presentation for the vacant position in April, she showed audience members her father's 47-year-old University ID to demonstrate what the University has meant to her and her family.
"This is why KU means a lot to me. I want to do this genuinely, because it transformed my life, my family's life, and if I get this opportunity, all I can tell you is my heart and soul will go into this job," she said to the audience.
Now that Bendapudi has officially been approved as provost and executive vice chancellor, a role which she assumed on July 1, she wants to use the office to give back to the University.
Alex Robinson/KANSAN
Bendapudi, who previously served as dean of business, is the oldest of three children and grew up in a small town in south India. She said her father decided to obtain his doctorate around the time she was five.
"We knew that he was going somewhere far away, and honestly did not know where it was or what it was. But he came to KU," she said. "He had choices, interestingly. It could've been Iowa, Wisconsin, or [the University of Texas], but he picked KU and he made the best choice possible, in my mind."
Later, Bendapudi and her husband, Venkat, the senior lecturer in the School of Business, had the opportunity to return to the University and obtain their
graduate degrees. During that time, she said they served as the University host couple, a former program in which a married couple lived in the Chancellor's guest house and hosted the most distinguished guests to visit the University.
"Every way KU could help us, they did. So then you feel like you've got to give back to KU," she said. "I've been able to communicate that with a small group of people. Now I have a bigger platform from which to share it."
One of her first priorities will be addressing student retention. Bendapudi said. She said it is essential to create a pipeline for the future regarding low retention rates within marginalized populations.
"Students come first in my book. That's the reason for being a university. The biggest thing that I see for our students: when student retention is low, it hurts the students a lot," she said. "Our chancellor really believes in it as well, so we've worked our priorities together and we've talked about it. She's [told] me, 'absolutely, go do this.'"
versity is
Neeli Bendapudi
Provost
actually a core value of mine. It's not even a priority, it comes down to values."
Another priority for Bendapudi will be furthering campus discussion on
issues relating to diversity, equity and inclusion. She said the role of provost begins with "supporting the work that so many people have done so much for."
"Diversity is actually a core value of mine. It's not even a priority, it comes down to values," she said. "Everybody, irrespective of the identities they hold, irrespective of who they are, what background they come from, they're a Jayhawk."
In addition to continuing discussions of diversity, as well as continuing the work completed by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee last semester, Bendapudi said she wants to work with members of the Multicultural Student Government, which was vetosed by Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little in May.
"We need to look at bringing the key people to the table. We need to keep in mind what the objective is that we're working toward," she said. "Clearly, [a Multicultural Student Government is] not the viable option, is what we were told. That doesn't mean those objectives don't matter anymore. What I will be focusing on is, 'what is the problem we're trying to solve and are there other ways to get there?'"
Sara Rosen, who has held the provost position on an interim basis since January, said in an email that Bendapudi "possesses a great deal of positive energy that will serve the campus well."
accomplishment during her interim tenure was furthering diversity, equity and inclusion discussions.
Rosen said her greatest
"During the past semester, our campus experienced a great deal of turmoil around diversity and inclusion through protest and activism. I was able to hear the concerns from students, faculty, and staff and to mobilize the campus to develop significant plans to move the campus forward in diversity and inclusion," she said in the email. "We have much work to do to create a truly safe environment that is inclusive for all students, staff, and faculty to live, learn, work, and grow. We are committed to doing so."
Rosen left the University in July after accepting the position of dean of the college of arts and sciences at Georgia State University.
Bendapudi said she wants to ensure the continuation of the University's strengths in her new role, including the dedication of faculty and staff and comfort of students within their respective communities.
"Whenever you come into any new organization, it's what are we doing now that we need to keep doing? What are things we're doing now that we should get rid of? What are things that we don't do that we need to make sure that we don't do?' she said. "I think that KU does so many things very, very well."
First Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion looks to make the University a 'model for the nation'
Alex Robinson/KANSAN
Professor Jennifer Hamer, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a new position in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
▶ ELLE CLOUSE
@elle_clouse
Jennifer Hamer has been named the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a new position in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. She assumed the role on July 1.
The decision to create a specific job with the purpose of recognizing and solving problems in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion came about when Carl Lejuez, dean of liberal arts & sciences, felt that there was need for improvement.
"Supporting diversity in the University setting has
been an important focus for me throughout my career," Lejuez said. "When I arrived last spring, students, faculty and staff were making their voices heard about our university's climate, and I took those concerns seriously," he said.
Hamer began working in her field at the University of Illinois as the head of the Department of African-American Studies. While there, she coordinated three projects that dealt with diversity, race, and building academic programs.
She has also been involved in several journals,
the topic of which include women, gender, families of color, black women, and race and society. Hamer has most recently spent five years at the University as a professor and faculty member.
"This kind of work has been part of my portfolio, formally and informally, probably since I came into the Academy," Hamer said.
Hamer believes that her passion and her own family inspire her to continue this line of work.
"I'm African-American, from a military working-class family background," Hamer said. "The
experiences of my own family, and not just my immediate family, but my extended family, really moved me to be a person that made a difference."
Hamer said she thinks that while the role is a necessity, the work is truly the important factor in her position. She emphasized that there is room for growth both on campus and in our society as a whole.
"I hope that the position elevates the work enough, that people have the will to do better. I do know that this is a moment that we do have an opportunity to move forward in a real and
Hamer is excited to begin her work and has a main goal in mind. She hopes to establish an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to become educated in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
meaningful way," Hamer said.
"I think our starting point is our faculty, staff, and administrators. If we understand how to do things better, than we're better able to move students in that direction," Hamer said.
Hamer plans to focus on making sure people understand what the expectations
are in terms of their behavior, and in an academic setting. She believes that the University can accomplish what none has done before.
"We actually can be a model, not just for the region, but for the nation," Hamer said. "If everyone is willing to be a community and be a college where everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, gender identity, economic class, regardless of whether you're first generation or third generation, that you know that when you come to KU, that we're here to support you."
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