When Kathy Aiken first began her undergraduate career in 1969 as a history student, she had no idea her career path would lead her to the provost’s office on the first floor of the Administration Building.
Abi Stomberg | Argonaut
The University of Idaho’s College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences dean, Katherine Aiken, was named interim provost May 8. Aiken is now settled into her office in
Administration Building and ready for the Fall Semester. Aiken has been a Vandal since 1969 when she began her undergraduate career at UI.
“I’m a good example of how, when you’re an undergraduate at the University of Idaho, you may not even suspect what your role might be,” Aiken said. “But that your education is preparing you for whatever that role is. One of the things a good education does is allow you to be flexible and be responsive and take on new challenges.”
Aiken will be the interim provost and executive vice president for the upcoming academic year. Aiken spent the last seven years as the dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, and prior to that held a number of interim positions and teaching positions in history since she began working at the university in 1984.
“Academia is a very interesting thing because people train to be workers in their discipline not to be managers, and then they become administrators and managers through a sort of confluence of forces,” Aiken said. “I don’t think there’s anyone in academia that their career path was to be an administrator. People’s career path is to be as good at their discipline — in my case history — as you can. That’s how people start.”
Aiken earned her Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Idaho, followed by a master’s in history from the University of Oregon and a Ph.D. in history from Washington State University.
In her new position, Aiken plays a number of roles, but most prominently she is the chief academic officer for UI.
“So I have responsibility for everything that has anything to do with academics, which is just about everything. I’m also the executive vice president so I kind of convene all of the vice presidents of the various areas about their areas as well,” Aiken said. “President Burnett calls it the dean of deans which I kind of like.”
As the provost and executive vice president Aiken said she is also responsible for partnering with the president to work on university-wide initiatives and work toward his vision for UI. On a day-to-day basis Aiken’s schedule in her new role varies due to the number of things the provost is responsible for.
“I go to a lot of meetings. I meet with all of the deans in particular about their specific academic interests,” Aiken said. “When the president is away then I’m the responsible party at the University of Idaho. If there are events or appearances he can’t manage in his schedule, then sometimes I represent the University of Idaho in his place.”
Aiken said her goals for the upcoming year are to support interim President Don Burnett in his interest in promoting UI as Idaho’s first university and a leader in academics in the state. She said she is also looking forward to the search for the next president, and recruiting a dynamic individual to lead the university. In the short term, there are a number of vacant deanships Aiken said she is looking forward to filling. She said it is her goal to put the best people possible in those positions.
“I want to be as supportive and helpful to president Burnett as I can be,” Aiken said. “I want to make sure that our academic programs continue to flourish, and that we’re thoughtful about how we respond to student needs and make sure students have the learning opportunities that they deserve.”
Mostly though, Aiken said she can’t wait for the school year to begin.
“When you’re an academic there’s nothing like the beginning of the academic year when new students come to campus and you’re sharing with them that vibrant community that is the University of Idaho,” Aiken said.
Lynn Baird, dean of the library, has worked with Aiken for many years but said they first really got to know each other on a committee started by former university president Tim White. In 2006, Baird and Aiken became deans within months of each other.
“Because we knew one another and had served together in those other capacities together, we became really close friends as we tried to figure out what it is to be a dean,” Baird said.
Baird said she looks forward to Aiken’s role in the provost’s office because of her skills as a leader and the institutional knowledge she brings to the table. Baird said Aiken is known for her sense of humor, direct yet insightful demeanor and passion for the University of Idaho.
“She really understands who we are,” Baird said. “I enjoy her passion and commitment to the University of Idaho. It inspires me to do a better job. I also like the fact that she is action oriented … that she tries to create processes that have a meaningful end.”
Aiken, who’s office is adorned in recent American memorabilia and specifically Rosy the Riveter, said taking on the leadership role was particularly important to her in terms of bringing a female perspective to the top ranks of university administration.
“One of the things that’s pretty important to me is that we at the University of Idaho have not had as many women in leadership positions as I would like to see,” Aiken said. “So one of the reasons I wanted to do this … I think it’s really important that students see women in leadership positions as well as men. I think women can provide a different perspective and an important one.”
Baird said Aiken is highly respected by the internal university community and the external community. She said Aiken earns the respect of everyone that she works with and that she is incredibly capable of communicating the university’s vision.
“I think she’s a remarkable woman,” Baird said. “I think she’s taking on a leadership position that is courageous and really a mark of her character and by doing so I think that she opens doors for all women.”
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]
Get to know the Provost
She is from Sunnyside, Washington.
In her free time, Aiken still reads a lot of history and enjoys being at Lake Coeur d’ Alene.
Aiken’s husband and two children also attended the University of Idaho.
Favorite Vandal Tradition: Homecoming
“When I was a freshman at the University of Idaho my husband gave me my very first I-mum (traditional homecoming corsage) which used to be a big deal at dances and stuff, and he still gives me an I-mum every year at homecoming and so it just reminds me of that. And it’s called homecoming because this is home and people are coming back and it just reminds me that they’re so happy to be here.”
Aiken and her husband have season football and basketball tickets. They attend almost every Vandal game.
As an undergraduate, Aiken was a Vandalette (drill team member), worked with ASUI community relations, a member of the debate team and Delta Gamma sorority.