Kent State Geauga and Kent State’s Regional Academic Center in Twinsburg will undergo new management starting Jan. 1, 2018, as they take on a new dean and chief administrative officer.

Angela Spalsbury, a professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Youngstown State University, will succeed Susan Stocker, the interim dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State at Geauga since Aug. 20, 2016. Spalsbury is also a Kent State alumna.

“I am really looking forward to learning about the community and getting to know local communities and businesses, finding out how we can meet their educational needs,” Spalsbury said.

Spalsbury said her focus will be on the students and the development of different programs at Kent State Geauga and the Regional Academic Center.

“One of the primary focuses will be enrollment,” Spalsbury said. “As President Warren says: ‘Enrollment is life.’ I will be monitoring enrollment, which includes recruitment and retention. I will also be looking at program offerings and workforce development.”

The two-day interview process Salsbury went through was extensive and busy, she said.

“It’s a rather rigorous process,” Spalsbury said. “I first had a phone interview and then later I was selected to come to campus where I had two days of campus interviews. … I met with the some of the candidates for the position, students, the provost and the vice president of Kent State.”

Spalsbury already has ideas for when she takes her position in 2018, and looks forward to the job.

“I am very optimistic about the future of Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg,” Spalsbury said. “Both places have tremendous room to grow, particularly the Twinsburg campus.”

Devon Parker is the north regional campuses and graduate education reporter. Contact him at [email protected].