New President Appointed to Brooklyn College
6/22/2009
The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York at their June meeting announced the appointment of Dr. Karen L. Gould as President of Brooklyn College. She is the first woman president of Brooklyn College. Gould is the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). CUNY conducted a five-month long search to replace Dr. Christoph M. Kimmich, who is stepping down after 36 years of distinguished service at the college, nine of them as College President. CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein recommended the appointment of Dr. Gould who is an internationally known scholar in the field of French-Canadian literature.
"I’d like to thank the Chancellor, the search committee and the University Board of Trustees for their confidence in me," Gould said after she was officially appointed. "I am proud to have been selected to lead that wonderful learning institution that is Brooklyn College and I am more than eager to work with the College community which has a rich and great tradition. Together we should be able to bring about another decade of great achievements."
In a joint statement, Chairperson Benno Schmidt and Chancellor Matthew Goldstein stated: "Dr. Gould's appointment is a marvelous stroke of good fortune for both Brooklyn College and The City University. She brings to this important leadership post extensive academic and administrative experience from five major public higher education institutions, along with an impressive record as a scholar and fund-raiser. Dr. Gould will take an outstanding institution to higher levels in the years ahead."
The presidential search committee was chaired by Trustee Joseph J. Lhota and included trustees, faculty, students, alumni and a CUNY college president. Dr. Gould was selected from a candidate pool that Chancellor Goldstein described as among the highest-quality in CUNY's history.
Tribute to Dr. Kimmich
In addition to the resolutions concerning the governance of several of the CUNY colleges, the Board of Trustees approved one to rename the Brooklyn College Library’s Lilly Pond Room as the "Christoph M. Kimmich Reading Room."
"Under the leadership and guidance of Dr. Kimmich during the ten years of his presidency, the academic, cultural and civic activities of Brooklyn College have flourished, and its campus has been rejuvenated and transformed by the renovation of the landmark LaGuardia Hall and the construction of a new West Quad Building," the resolution states.
The board also approved a resolution of appreciation that praises Dr. Kimmich’s exemplary dedication and distinguished service to The City University of New York since he started at Brooklyn College in 1973. This includes his years as Brooklyn College’s associated provost from 1984 to 1988 and provost from 1988 to 1997, as well as his role as interim CUNY Chancellor from December 1997 until August 1999.
"Thank you for the warm words and your generous remarks," said Dr. Kimmich, visibly moved by board’s pronouncements. "I leave the College with inestimable good memories."
Stellar Academic Record
As the chief academic officer of one of the largest and most diverse of 23 public institutions in the California University system, Dr. Gould has been responsible for ensuring a high-quality educational experience for 31,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate students, including 1,400 international students, in eight academic colleges. As provost, she provided academic leadership and promoted excellence in all aspects of the university's academic mission. CSULB is nationally recognized for its academic excellence.
At California State University, Long Beach, Dr. Gould worked closely with the university's senior leadership, academic and staff councils, student leaders and alumni. She was very successful in promoting and enhancing academic quality, student learning and student achievement, supporting faculty teaching, research and service activities, and ensuring support for academic staff across eight colleges in the Arts, Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Business, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Services, and Extended Education. Dr. Gould was responsible for a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing student success, including mandatory freshman advising, student mentor programs, expanded First Year Experience programs, and retention initiatives for at-risk students. She has demonstrated a deep commitment to the promotion of diversity and collaborative governance around common goals, and also made significant progress in modernizing the university's academic technology infrastructure, faculty and staff technology support, and learning management delivery. Dr. Gould was responsible for an annual budget of $172.6 million.
Dr. Gould is the author or co-editor of six books and more than 50 articles and essays on contemporary Quebec literature, francophone women writers, and the modern French novel. She has been honored with the Canadian Governor General's International Award for Canadian Studies in 2003, and the Donner Medal in Canadian Studies in 2005 for her research and professional contributions to the field of Canadian Studies. Dr. Gould is the former editor of the interdisciplinary journal, Québec Studies, and has received numerous grants, fellowships, and awards for her research. Active in the profession, she has served as president of the International Council for Canadian Studies, president of the American Association for Canadian Studies in the United States, and as a member of the executive board of the national Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Gould received her B.A., cum laude, from Occidental College in 1970, a diploma from the Sorbonne, and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of Oregon in 1975.
