August 26, 1997 - MnSCU Chancellor Anderson to recommend academic and student affairs senior vice chancellor - Bemidji State University's Linda Baer to be Considered

Chancellor Morris J. Anderson of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities announced today that he will recommend Linda Baer as senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs to the MnSCU Board of Trustees at its September meeting. The appointment, if approved, would be effective in November.

Baer has been senior vice president for academic and student affairs at Bemidji State University for over six years and served as interim president for one year. As senior vice chancellor, she would become responsible for managing education policy and academic programs in the MnSCU system.

Making a permanent appointment to fill the top academic post has been an important priority for Anderson since taking his position in July.

"Dr. Baer is just the person we need to oversee education policy throughout the system," said Anderson. "She's attuned to providing education services to students and committed to our strategic goal of 'students first.'"

At Bemidji, she has been responsible for strategic planning, developing curriculum using technology and programming partnerships between the university and the business community. She is a frequent speaker on assessment of quality in higher education, transformational strategies in higher education and opportunities for partnerships in higher education.

Prior to joining Bemidji State, she was on the faculty of South Dakota State University in the Rural Sociology Department. She was also the director of the Center for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship at SDSU.

Baer holds degrees in sociology, with an undergraduate degree from Washington State University and a master's degree from Colorado State University. Her doctorate is from South Dakota State University.

Honors include the Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Teacher Award, South Dakota State University; a Distinguished Service Award from the Great Plains Sociological Society; and being named a Centennial Woman of Bemidji.

MnSCU is the single largest provider of higher education in the state, serving approximately 145,000 students on 54 campuses. The system includes community colleges, technical colleges, comprehensive community and technical colleges and state universities.