Karen Ann Holbrook | |
|---|---|
 Holbrook (third from the left) at OSU Policing Center groundbreaking ceremony in 2007 | |
| Regional Chancellor University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee | |
| Assumed office 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Terry Osborn |
| 13th President of TheOhio State University | |
| In office October 1, 2002 – June 30, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | William English Kirwan |
| Succeeded by | E. Gordon Gee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1942-11-06)November 6, 1942 (age 82) |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Washington |
Karen Ann Holbrook (born November 6, 1942, inDes Moines,Iowa) is the regional chancellor of theUniversity of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee since January 2, 2018.[1]
Holbrook earned her B.S. and M.S. from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison, in zoology. After teachingbiology atRipon College, she earned a Ph.D. in biological structure from theUniversity of Washington School of Medicine in 1972, where she served as a postdoctoral fellow in dermatology, faculty member and research administrator. She then pursued further training indermatology. She is an alumna ofGamma Phi Beta sorority.
Holbrook was a professor of biological structure and medicine atUniversity of Washington School of Medicine, where she became the first woman to be named associate dean at the UW School of Medicine, vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at theUniversity of Florida, and senior vice president for academic affairs andprovost at theUniversity of Georgia.
From 2002 to 2007, she was the 13th presiding president ofOhio State University. During Holbrook's tenure, she worked with Columbus MayorMichael B. Coleman to improve safety both on- and off-campus. This was in reaction to riots following aMichigan–Ohio State football game in 2002.[2][3] Holbrook announced in June 2006 that she would depart Ohio State when her five-year contract was up in 2007 to spend more time with her husband, Jim.[4]Joseph A. Alutto, dean of theMax M. Fisher College of Business at Ohio State, replaced Holbrook as an interim president untilGordon Gee took his place as the new president.[5][6]
While applying for a position of President atFlorida Gulf Coast University in 2007, Holbrook lamented on the student culture at Ohio State. She remarked in a job interview that, "They think it's fun to flip cars, to really have absolute drunken orgies. ... I don't want to be at a place that has this kind of culture as a norm."[7] Holbrook later acknowledged that she might have exaggerated her comments.[8]
In 2017, while serving as executive vice president atUniversity of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, she replaced Terry Osborn as chancellor who was also serving as vice chancellor of academic affairs. From 2013 to 2016, she had served as senior adviser to the president of theUniversity of South Florida system.[9]
Holbrook has served on the boards of several institutions. She also served as interim president ofEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University[10] prior to moving to the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Edward H. Jennings (interim) | Ohio State University President October 1, 2002 – June 30, 2007 | Succeeded by Joseph A. Alutto (interim) |