Dr. Julia Irwin, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, has announced three interim faculty leadership appointments that will strengthen Academic Affairs and support important university initiatives:
Dr. Klay Kruczek has been appointed interim associate vice president for faculty affairs. In this role, he will oversee faculty life cycle processes, including onboarding, promotion and tenure, faculty development, and related academic personnel matters. Kruczek most recently served as chair of the Department of Mathematics and as the university’s faculty interfolio coordinator. Throughout his 22-year academic career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to faculty governance and institutional service, chairing numerous university committees and faculty search committees. He brings a collaborative leadership style and a dedication to supporting faculty and advancing the university’s mission.
Dr. Meredith Sinclair has been appointed interim faculty director of curricular and advising initiatives. In this role, she will partner with the Provost’s Office to identify and implement best practices in academic advising while supporting curriculum workflow and related academic initiatives. Sinclair joined Southern’s faculty in 2013 as a member of the Department of English, with expertise in curriculum theory and secondary English education. She most recently served as faculty director of Academic Advising and has been actively engaged in Southern’s curricular processes as a member of the University Curriculum Forum (UCF) for 12 years, including four years as chair, and as co-chair of the Notifications Management Committee (NMC) for three years. During her tenure as UCF chair, Sinclair helped lead several university-wide curricular initiatives and improvements to curricular workflows. She brings extensive experience in curriculum, advising, and faculty collaboration, along with a strong commitment to supporting student success and advancing the university’s mission.
Dr. Joan Kreiger has been appointed interim faculty director of accreditation and curricular initiatives to support accreditation activities and curricular support for program proposals advancing to the Board of Regents (BOR). Kreiger joined Southern in 2014 as a full-time faculty member and the inaugural program coordinator for the Respiratory Therapy Program in the College of Health and Human Services. Her familiarity with both regional and programmatic assessment will provide a seamless transition as she assumes the role of acting assessment liaison officer (ALO) for NECHE in preparation for the university’s five-year mid-cycle report. Kreiger has many years of service on the University Curriculum Forum (UCF), including leadership roles as past chair of both the STAR and LEP Committees. She brings extensive experience in curriculum development, shared governance, and academic policy, along with a strong commitment to advancing student success, supporting faculty excellence, and fostering collaboration across the institution. She will support the Provost’s Office through the remainder of the calendar year while continuing in her role as Respiratory Therapy program coordinator and an HMS faculty member.
Irwin said, “I am grateful for Drs. Kruczek’s, Sinclair’s, and Kreiger’s willingness to serve in these leadership roles and look forward to the expertise and collaboration they will bring to Academic Affairs and the university community.”
