Kennesaw State University posted the following article to its website announcing that Ivan Pulinkala, who is credited with developing KSU’s dance program, has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs:
Kennesaw State University President Kathy Schwaig has named Ivan Pulinkala as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, following a nationwide search. He will assume the role on Dec. 1, 2022.
Pulinkala, who joined KSU in 2005, has served as KSU’s interim provost and vice president of academic affairs since July 2021, and served as interim vice president for enrollment services from January to October 2022. He was previously the dean of KSU’s College of the Arts.
“Ivan is an innovative academic who has strong ties to Kennesaw State and is deeply committed to building a culture of community and student success,” said Schwaig. “Over the past year as interim provost, he has proven to be an intentional leader, and I look forward to continuing to work with him as we focus on the future of KSU.”
As interim provost, Pulinkala has led the development of a comprehensive ecosystem approach to student success, reorganizing Academic Affairs, Advising and Enrollment Services, initiating a diagnostic evaluation by the National Institute for Student Success, facilitating the creation of data dashboards, and prioritizing the largest addition of new faculty lines in KSU history.
Pulinkala served as dean of the College of the Arts since 2018. Under his leadership, the College of the Arts enrollment grew by 41%, national accreditation/reaccreditation was pursued across all four disciplinary units, and the first graduate degree in the College of the Arts was developed in the School of Art and Design. Pulinkala has raised millions of dollars for the arts at KSU, led the development of state-of-the-art facilities, and created the ArtsKSU brand.
He is credited with developing Georgia’s largest collegiate dance program at KSU, serving as director from 2005-2012 and as the chair of the Department of Dance from 2012-2018. KSU Dance has received national acclaim for Pulinkala’s choreographic scholarship that has been commissioned by professional and collegiate dance and theatre companies across the U.S., as well as in Israel, China and India. Pulinkala holds the distinction of having his choreographic works selected by the American College Dance Association for three successive biennial national festivals at the Kennedy Center.
“KSU is on an exciting trajectory of growth, excellence and national prominence thanks to our outstanding faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners,” said Pulinkala. “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve and advance a community that has nurtured my academic and artistic spirit for the past 17 years.”
Pulinkala received his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Alabama, his M.F.A. in Dance from Mills College in Oakland, California, and his Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) from Hindu College, Delhi University.