Kedra Ishop will lead U-M enrollment management effort, Sara Blair appointed to vice provost position

June 19, 2014
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ANN ARBOR—Kedra Ishop, a veteran university admissions official who has been director of admissions at the University of Texas-Austin since 2009, has been appointed to the new position of associate vice president for enrollment management.

Also in the Office of the Provost, Sara Blair, a U-M professor of English, was appointed vice provost for academic and faculty affairs. Both appointments were approved today by the Board of Regents. They will begin their duties Sept. 1.

Ishop will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for the offices of undergraduate admissions, financial aid, the university registrar and new-student programs in a newly structured, student-centered effort.

U-M Provost Martha Pollack recommended Ishop for the position.

“I am confident Kedra Ishop will design and implement a structure that brings increased coordination and cooperation among these units to best serve students and help ensure student success among all populations at the university,” she said.

Ishop began her professional career at the University of Texas as an admissions counselor in 1998. She was the director of the Dallas Admissions Center from 1999 to 2000, and the director of the Houston Admissions Center from 2000 to 2003. In 2003, she was promoted to associate director of admissions and in 2009 she became the vice provost and director of admissions.

In her current role, she directs the office of admissions for undergraduate and international admissions and the application processing for graduate admissions. She is responsible for the implementation of state policy regarding admissions and she oversees the development, implementation and analysis of the university’s admission policies.

Ishop has earned three degrees from the University of Texas: a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1997, a master’s degree in higher education administration in 2000 and her doctorate in educational administration in 2008.

Blair is associate dean of academic programs and initiatives at the Rackham Graduate School and professor of English. Her half-time appointment begins Sept. 1 and she steps in for Chris Whitman who is returning to the faculty at the Law School.

In her role as vice provost, Blair will provide strategic leadership for policies and practices to support U-M faculty members. This includes development and implementation of promotion and tenure policies, standards for faculty rights and responsibilities and support for faculty recruitment and retention. She will oversee the annual promotion and tenure process and make recommendations on promotion decisions for non-health sciences schools. Vice Provost Lori Pierce has a similar role with the health science schools.

“Given her extensive experience and perspective as an associate dean, I am confident Professor Blair will provide extraordinary leadership in this role,” Pollack said.

Blair joined the U-M faculty in 1996 as a visiting associate professor. She spent a year as a visiting associate professor at the California Institute of Technology, then returned to the U-M faculty in 1999. She was promoted to professor of English language and literature in 2007. Since 2011, she has been the associate dean of academic programs and initiatives at the Rackham Graduate School.