Salisbury University appoints new provost and senior vice president of academic affairs

SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury University has announced their new provost and senior vice president of academic affairs.

Dr. Karen Olmstead has been serving as SU’s interim provost since July 2017, and brings over 25 years of research, instruction, and administrative experience to the position.

“Dr. Olmstead has demonstrated collegiality working with the faculty and executive staff, and skill at forwarding the academic mission of the University. I have gained a solid level of trust in her abilities in the short time since I began my presidency at SU. I feel confident that she will continue to give her best efforts on behalf of SU and the students we serve,” said SU President Charles Wight.

From 2008-2017, Olmstead served as dean of SU’s Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology. Before that, she held leadership positions at the University of South Dakota, including associate vice president of academic affairs and graduate dean, as well as director of its University Honors and undergraduate academic programs. She also served as chair of the biology department at USD.

She earned her Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Delaware. She is also a 2010 alumna of Leadership Maryland.