President Kelley selects Lori Reesor as the next vice president for student affairs

President Robert O. Kelley has named Lori Reesor as the next UND Vice President for Student Affairs. Reesor, who currently serves as Associate Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Kansas, will start Feb. 28. She will succeed Robert Boyd, who will leave the Vice President for Student Affairs position to focus full time on his duties as UND’s nickname and logo Transition Officer.

“As Dr. Robert Boyd moves from his position as UND’s Vice President for Student and Outreach Services, I knew that searching for his successor would be a challenging one. I’m very pleased to be able to say that in recruiting Dr. Lori Reesor, the University has successfully met that challenge. It is a pleasure to welcome Dr. Reesor to membership in the UND community as Vice President for Student Affairs. She will be a valuable colleague and asset to this exceptional university,” said Kelley.

He added, “I want to thank Vice President Alice Brekke and the blue ribbon committee that succeeded in recruiting Dr. Reesor to UND.”

“From the beginning of the search process I was impressed with the quality of individuals at UND. After spending time on campus I knew UND was truly a special place. I am excited about joining the UND family and making a difference for students,” said Reesor.

Kelley praised Vice President Boyd for the impact he has made during his more than 30 years at UND. Boyd started out as the Director of Extension and Professional Services, then was the Dean of Outreach Programs, and since 1998 he has served as vice president of UND’s division of student affairs.

“Very few individuals can excel at multiple assignments, but Dr. Robert Boyd is one who has made contributions to UND in education, service, administration and leadership. I’ve asked Dr. Boyd to take on one more assignment at UND, the task of guiding the university through the transition away from the Fighting Sioux name and logo. Dr. Boyd’s leadership and integrity will be invaluable as he works with the several task forces that represent all stakeholders in the transition process. And his work will be central to the eventual development of the process that will find a new nickname and tradition for UND,” said Kelley.

Lori Reesor

Lori Reesor comes to UND from the University of Kansas (KU), where she has been instructor and Associate Vice Provost for Student Success since 2006. At KU, she oversees the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, University Advising Center, and the University Career Center.

Reesor has extensive professional experience in the areas of student life, enrollment management and academics. As associate vice provost for student success at KU, she provides support for supervising and coordinating student success programs and services for approximately 25,000 students. She is a member of the Planning and Resources Committee at KU and chaired or co-chaired other KU committees including H1N1 Flu Clinic, Professional Development, and University Scholarship Council. She is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and has held membership in the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and the National Academic Advising Association.

She is an active leader in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, teaches in the higher education program, and continues to do research related to new professionals in student affairs, women in higher education, and academic leadership. She is the advisor to KU’s Board of Class Officers.

Reesor previously was assistant and associate dean in the School of Education, and assistant professor and adjunct instructor in higher education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She served as dean of students at Wichita State University. At the University of Kansas, she was the associate director of admissions; assistant to the dean of educational services; assistant director of new student orientation; and residence hall director.

Reesor earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, Wis.; her master’s degree in from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where she specialized in higher education; and her doctorate in educational policy and leadership from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.