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News Release

Last modified: Monday, October 10, 2011

Statement from IU President Michael A. McRobbie

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 10, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie issued the following congratulatory statement about Executive Vice President and IU Bloomington Provost Karen Hanson, who was named today (Oct. 10) senior vice president and provost of the University of Minnesota. Hanson, who will be returning to her alma mater, has served in her current role at IU since 2007.

McRobbie said:

I join everyone across the Indiana University community in congratulating Executive Vice President and IU Bloomington Provost Karen Hanson on being named the next senior vice president and provost at the University of Minnesota.

Over her 35-year career at IU, Karen has made far-reaching contributions as an educator, scholar and administrator that have benefitted thousands of students and the university as a whole.

In her role as provost at IU Bloomington over the last four-and-a-half years, Karen has worked tirelessly to raise the academic profile of the campus, attract and retain top-flight faculty, and help us re-imagine what it means to be a public university in these challenging times.

As co-chair of IU's New Academic Directions committee, Karen has been instrumental in helping to define a vision for the future of our institution as we seek to strengthen our position as one of the leading public research universities in the world.

In addition to her considerable administrative skills, Karen has a love of learning and of students that make her ideally suited for a role as chief academic officer for a large university.

Personally, I will miss her perceptive and knowledgeable counsel on a range of issues and topics, and Karen's departure leaves a void both on the Bloomington campus and on the Indiana University leadership team.

That said, the University of Minnesota is an outstanding institution and I understand the undeniable appeal of returning to one's alma mater in a key leadership position. I have every confidence that Karen will make the same type of positive difference at the University of Minnesota that she has made at Indiana University.

A search for Karen's successor will be forthcoming but no timetable has been set for completion of that search.

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