IUPUI is Indiana's premier urban research university. The campus enrolls more than 30,000 students in 21 schools and academic units.
IUPUI hosts American Council on Education Fellow
INDIANAPOLIS -- Keith M. Hearit, professor of communication at Western Michigan University, will spend Fall 2013 at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis as part of the American Council on Education Fellows Program.
“Selection as a host institution is a sign of the standing and reputation of IUPUI,” said Margarita Benítez, interim director of ACE’s Emerging Leaders Group and the ACE Fellows Program. “An ACE Fellow chooses an institution for its rigorous academic environment and high-quality efforts to educate students.”
While at IUPUI, Hearit will be included at the highest level of decision-making, participate in administrative activities and learn about issues of benefit to the campus. He will also attend three weeklong retreats on higher education issues organized by ACE, read extensively in the field and engage in other activities to advance his knowledge about the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education today.
“Keith is a recognized expert in crisis communication and an experienced dean and vice provost,” IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz said. “He will bring his expertise to IUPUI, as we offer him the opportunity to observe and interact with IUPUI leaders on a campus known for being dynamic, innovative and diverse. Thus, the ACE Fellowship benefits IUPUI, Keith and his home university.”
Hearit has been with Western Michigan University since 1996 and most recently served as vice provost for strategic enrollment management. Additionally, Hearit has held a variety of leadership roles at the university including dean of Lee Honors College and associate director, undergraduate director and undergraduate advisor of the School of Communication. Before arriving at Western Michigan University, Hearit taught at Northern Illinois University, IU Kokomo and Purdue University. He is an expert in crisis communications and is the author of “Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response to Allegations of Wrongdoing.” Hearit earned his Ph.D. in 1992 from Purdue University.
“Under the leadership of Chancellor Bantz, IUPUI has developed an international reputation for its commitment to student success,” Hearit said. “From its culture of believing every student can succeed, its use of novel and creative initiatives to enhance retention and degree completion, to its rigorous approach to data analytics, IUPUI is a world leader.”
The ACE Fellows Program, established in 1965, is designed to strengthen institutional capacity and build leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. With nearly 2,000 higher education leaders having participated in the ACE Fellows Program since its inception, more than 300 have become CEOs and more than 1,300 have become provosts, vice presidents or deans.
About the America Council on Education
Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, follow ACE on Twitter at @ACEducation.
