CARBONDALE, Ill. – Karen Jones, a longtime faculty member and administrator at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, has been appointed associate dean and director of the Graduate School.
Jones will focus on enhancing communication within the graduate school among graduate students and programs, strengthening international recruitment efforts and identifying technologies to reduce paperwork processing. She also wants to increase transparency and build up professional development opportunities for graduate students.
“Dr. Jones brings a wealth of administrative experience to the position, a deep understanding of graduate education, and a passion for the success of our graduate students,” said Costas Tsatsoulis, vice chancellor for research and graduate school dean.
Jones joined SIU’s Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition in 1999 after completing her doctoral degree at Texas A&M University. Trained as a reproductive physiologist and molecular geneticist, Jones previously served as a professor, interim chair of the department, and acting associate dean and director of the doctoral program for the College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences. She also served as chair and graduate studies director in the Department of Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems.
Jones said she has a passion for graduate student success and enjoys working with campus academic and service units to ensure every student is afforded opportunities to achieve their academic goals.
“I have vast leadership experiences at SIU to draw upon,” she said. “I have held various administrative positions, chaired the research committee within graduate council and served on research oversight and advisory committees. These experiences have afforded the opportunity to network and to problem-solve within the complex SIU organization.”
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