Professor Karleen West (SUNY Geneseo)
Professor Karleen West, chair of SUNY Geneseo’s Department of Political Science and International Relations, has been named to the third cohort—the first of two in 2025—of the Department Chair Leadership Institute (DCLI) at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). West is one of 32 higher education professionals in this year’s cohort.
DCLI is a semester-long leadership program designed to help department chairs cultivate critical skills that prepare them for success in their current and future administrative roles.
“We know the department chair position is one of the most challenging positions on campus, and through DCLI, AASCU is responding to the professional development needs of these critical administrators,” said Charles L. Welch, AASCU president and CEO. “With each new DCLI cohort, we are providing these front-line campus leaders with peer support, networking, and strategic insights to strengthen their leadership acumen and help them succeed.”
Mary C. Toale, Geneseo’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, has served as a DCLI faculty member since the program’s inception and is one of ten DCLI faculty members for the 2025 cohorts.