Purdue trustees appoint new chancellor of Purdue University Northwest
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Kenneth C. “Chris” Holford as the new chancellor of Purdue University Northwest.
This announcement, on Friday, comes almost a year after people called for the resignation of Chancellor Thomas L. Keon after an impromptu joke mocking Asian languages at a commencement ceremony.
Since 2016, Keon served as Purdue University Northwest’s chancellor and was expected to serve out his last term until June 30, 2024.
Holford will serve as the school’s newest chancellor effective Jan. 8, 2024. PNW has campuses in Northwest Indiana, one in Hammond and another in Westville.
Since May 2020, Holford served as PNW’s provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs.
“As provost, he has prioritized the quality of the student experience, the importance of developing a highly trained workforce and the enrichment of the regional community. He has emphasized the importance of academic and research quality at PNW, leading to a tripling of sponsored research activity at the institution over the past three years,” the press release announcing his appointment stated.
Holford’s career with PNW spans more than two decades, where he served as a professor of biology, was the founding dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences at PNW’s formation in 2016 and served as the dean of the College of Sciences and chair of the Department of Biology and Chemistry at the former Purdue North Central, which is now the Westville, Indiana, branch campus of PNW.
Holford earned his Ph.D. in biology from Illinois State University, a master’s in zoology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Augustana College.
Purdue President Mung Chiang recommended Holford’s appointment following a national search that was established last spring.
Chiang was advised by a search committee led by Purdue trustee Malcolm DeKryger with representation from PNW students, faculty, staff and alumni.
The chancellor committee received hundreds of applicants but narrowed it down to eight semi-finalists and then three final candidates before deciding on Holford for the position.
“I am excited and delighted that Dr. Chris Holford will serve as the next chancellor of Purdue University Northwest,” Chiang said.
“I have 100 percent confidence that he was the best finalist out of a long list of candidates and that Dr. Holford is the ideal candidate to lead the next phase of development.”
Holford was not present at the announcement due to leadership obligations at PNW but provided a comment to Purdue University about his announcement.
“I am honored to have been given this opportunity by President Chiang and the Board of Trustees, and proud to be able to expand on the outstanding work we have been doing at Purdue Northwest,” Holford said in the press release announcing his appointment.
“Our faculty and staff remain focused on excellence in teaching, passionate about helping students succeed and dedicated to serving the communities in our metropolitan region. Our collective goal will be to sustain and enrich an environment where our students can thrive in their pursuits inside and outside the classroom.
“Similarly, I am excited to have this opportunity to build upon our successes in applied research and to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation to ensure PNW remains a leader in regional economic development and workforce development. Together we will continue to build upon our forward momentum and have a positive impact on our students and our communities.”
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue trustees appoint new chancellor of Purdue Northwest
