Schwaig named president of Kennesaw State University

KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — Kennesaw State University's interim president has been permanently named to the post.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on Tuesday named Kathy Schwaig to replace Pamela Whitten who resigned in April to become president of Indiana University.

“Kennesaw State has a strong advocate and leader in Dr. Schwaig, and there is no question about the passion she has for the university and its students, faculty and staff,” Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said in a news release. “As a longtime member of the KSU community, she has been a major part of its journey to become a force for student success in higher education, and I congratulate her on being named president of the institution she loves.”

During her eight months as interim president, Schwaig focused on “student-centered policies and practices aimed at improving retention, progression and graduation rates,” state education officials said in a news release. This includes creating the Student Success Steering Committee, which works to coordinate and improve student success initiatives at a university that currently offers over 165 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and serves just under 43,000 students.

“There is no question that Kennesaw State University has an extraordinary story and a promising future, and I’m honored the board has confidence in me to keep that story moving forward,” Schwaig said. “My highest priority has been to support faculty and staff in making KSU a student-centered university, and the university’s focus on retention, engagement and academic success won’t change.”

Before joining KSU in 2002, Schwaig was on the faculty at Georgia State University, the University of South Carolina and Baylor University in Texas.

Schwaig has also been the Dinos...