UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has announced that Kathleen Bieschke, a department head in the College of Education and professor of education in counseling psychology, will become the University’s new vice provost for faculty affairs. Bieschke, who recently concluded her term as interim dean of the Schreyer Honors College, will begin her appointment Aug. 1.
Bieschke succeeds Blannie Bowen, who retired as vice provost for academic affairs after a nearly 30-year career at the University. With the hiring of Bieschke as the new vice provost, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs has changed its name to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs to better reflect its focus and scope.
Since joining Penn State, Bieschke has served in various academic and administrative capacities, including in her recent position as interim dean of the Schreyer Honors College and current position as head of the Department of Education Psychology, Counseling and Special Education. In that department, she oversees resident and online instruction and leads the CEDAR Clinic, a facility for clinical practicum in the counselor education master's and doctoral programs that provides services to children, adolescents and young adults.
In addition to her teaching duties, Bieschke served as professor-in-charge of the Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies minor, which launched in 2015, and administrative fellow to Robert Pangborn, then interim executive vice president and provost, during the 2012-13 academic year.
“For nearly 15 years, Kathy has been an innovative and respected member of the University community, serving as a professor, department head and, most recently, interim dean,” said Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost. “We are fortunate to have a professional of Kathy’s caliber as our first vice provost for faculty affairs. It is a vital role in which she will excel.”
As vice provost, Bieschke will oversee the many facets of faculty affairs across Penn State’s campuses, including the promotion and tenure process, and work closely with deans, campus chancellors, department heads, faculty committees, and the University’s Office of General Counsel. She will serve as a member of the President’s Council and Academic Leadership Council, and as a liaison to the University Faculty Senate and the Big Ten Academic Alliance’s Academic Leadership Program.
While overseeing sabbatical leave requests, executive searches, administrative evaluations, and orientation sessions for new faculty, Bieschke also will manage several leadership and faculty development activities, including the Academic Leadership Forum, and the selection processes for the Penn State Laureate and President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Integration.
“I'm honored to be selected as Penn State's vice provost for faculty affairs. Like my predecessor, Dr. Blannie Bowen, I will be dedicated and committed to ensuring that Penn State is a place where all faculty members have the opportunity to thrive,” said Bieschke. “I look forward to helping to set the University’s course for best preparing its faculty and future leaders for the challenges facing the field of higher education and, in particular, Penn State.”
Along with teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, Bieschke is a member of various committees, including the University strategic plan’s Advancing the Arts and Humanities Executive Committee and the executive team for the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, a collaborative practice-research network comprised of more than 400 college counseling centers.
Bieschke has published extensively during her career, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Training and Education in Professional Psychology. Her professional affiliations include the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs. She also served as a member of the APA’s Commission on Accreditation.
For her dedication and accomplishments in the field of psychology, Bieschke received the Lifetime Contribution to Education and Training in Counseling Psychology Award from the Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs; Outstanding Publication in Counseling Psychology Supervision Award from the American Psychological Association; and the Outstanding Service Award from the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Equity at Penn State.
She earned both her bachelor of science degree in psychology and master of science degree in clinical psychology from Illinois State University, and her doctorate in counseling psychology from Michigan State University. Bieschke is a licensed psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania.