After six years as associate dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, Karin Beck is now taking her skills College wide as interim associate provost in the Division of Academic Affairs.
As associate dean, Beck worked on academic initiatives, enrollment management, and administrative operations while also partnering with the other Lehman schools on scheduling, budget, and curriculum—the nuts and bolts of college operations—which prepared her well for this new role.
As interim associate provost, she will oversee College-wide academic programs and offices including general education, Writing Across the Curriculum, and Campus Honors and Scholar Engagement, as well as the accreditation of degree programs.
“Lehman is a wonderful place with great students and a lot of amazing and dedicated people. As interim associate provost, my main goal is to make sure that, wherever I am responsible, these people can do their great work,” she said. “Strengthening communication across disciplines and divisions is another major goal, as well as communication to students and to the city about the great things we are doing here.”
One of the leaders implementing the Anchored in the Liberal Arts (ATLAS) program, Beck has played a crucial part in helping transfer students become part of the tapestry of the Lehman community. The program introduces new students to transformative texts from diverse backgrounds that emphasize how critical thinking in the liberal arts can provide an essential foundation for professional careers.
This focus on the liberal arts prompted a widely read essay in last year, “The Humanities Aren’t Hurting Everywhere” which led to Beck testifying at a New York City Council hearing on Higher Education.
She has also continued to produce scholarly work, most recently delivering a talk, ‘Anna Karenina and Racism’ at the Leo Tolstoy and Imperialism Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, later published in the Tolstoy Studies Journal.
“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Karin Beck as our interim associate provost,” said Jorge Silva-Puras, interim provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Student Success. “With her remarkable blend of academic rigor and administrative experience, she is poised to lead with innovation, integrity, and a deep commitment to academic excellence. Her unique combination of skills heralds a new era of leadership and growth.”
Prior to her appointment at Lehman, Beck held teaching and administrative positions at Kean University and the College at Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany.
Beck holds a master's degree in Slavic Literatures, Political Sciences and East European History from Freie Universität Berlin as well as a master’s degree in Russian and Czech Literatures from Columbia University, where she also earned a doctoral degree in Slavic Literatures.