A former University of South Florida administrator is returning to lead the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Karen Holbrook was introduced at Thursday’s USF Board of Trustees meeting as the new regional chancellor. She will start as leader of the 2,000-student campus on Jan. 2, 2018.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to take this institution forward,” Holbrook said in a statement about the campus that includes four colleges and 40 academic programs.
“Our highest priority is student success and I think we have exceptional and unique opportunities for our students to be successful here. We provide personalized attention, which helps our students meet their academic and professional goals.”
Holbrook replaces Interim Regional Chancellor Terry Osborne, who was promoted in March when Sandra Stone suddenly resigned after three years on the job. Stone’s resignation letter said she was stepping down for a “family situation.”
In addition, the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus had been the subject of criticism from USF Trustees, who criticized for missing fundraising goals for six consecutive years.
Holbrook is a longtime higher education administrator – including a five-year stint as president of The Ohio State University – but she has many ties to USF. Most recently, she served at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus as an executive vice-president and senior advisor to USF System President Judy Genshaft.
She also served as the USF senior vice president for research and innovation, and as senior vice president for global affairs and international research.
