Chris Brown, Ph.D., chair of the School of Education division of Counseling and Education Psychology, will serve as the interim dean of students/vice provost for Student Affairs.

Sandra Miles recently announced her resignation from the vice provost position.  Brown’s interim role will allow UMKC to connect her expertise in counseling and educational psychology with developing and implementing new programs that will promote student engagement and student success at UMKC.  She will lead efforts across UMKC to create the “Culture of Care” described in the new UMKC student success model, Roo STRONG (Student-Targeted Resources Opportunities and Networks for Graduation).

Under Brown’s interim leadership, UMKC will be able to:        

• Provide facilitative leadership to support professional staff in Student Affairs
• Create synergies between administrative units and academic units
• Bring together student-affairs professionals and faculty to promote student success 
• Incorporate and integrate recommendations from the Mental Health and Wellness Task Force to proactively improve student well-being

Brown will conduct this work collaboratively with faculty who have expertise in the School of Social Work, in the Department of Psychology and with professional staff in co-curricular programs such as academic support and mentoring and first-year experience programs; as well as offices in Student Affairs such as counseling services, recreation, the Office of Student Involvement, and Multicultural Student Affairs.