Division of Academic Affairs

Kean University welcomed our new Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, David Birdsell, Ph.D., on August 1, 2021. Learn more here. 

David Birdsell, Ph.D., oversees all academic programs and accreditation at Kean’s campuses in Union, Toms River, Manahawkin, and Jefferson Township,  New Jersey as well as Wenzhou, China, and will play a key role in the University’s pursuit of a R2 Carnegie research designation. As Provost, he is responsible for recruiting and mentoring the University’s faculty, as well as ensuring the University delivers on its promise of a world-class education.

Birdsell is the former dean of the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, a higher education institution in The City University of New York system, with a six-year graduation rate of over 70%. And, like Kean, has been recognized for the social mobility of its graduates.

Birdsell started at Baruch as an assistant professor of speech after graduating from the University of Maryland with a Ph.D. in public communication in 1986. Achieving the title of professor in 1999, he also served as Executive Director of Academic Programs, Interim Dean of the Marxe School of Public Affairs, and Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Effectiveness. Birdsell earned his master’s degree in speech communication and his bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Virginia.

Since the founding of this institution in 1855, the programs and curricula of Kean University have supported generations of New Jersey residents’ aspirations for productive and rewarding lives for themselves and their communities. These academic programs are now among the best in the nation.

The Office of Academic Affairs is central to the success of these programs, promoting high academic standards for faculty and students, and administering the resources, policies, and plans that sustain them. Academic Affairs encompasses all of the academic components of what is now a comprehensive, diverse, and growing state University.

Kean’s six colleges host more than 100 major and minor undergraduate programs, as well as more than 35 graduate degrees including a doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology.  A balanced general education program, the Nancy Thompson Library, the Center for Academic Success, as well as the EOC and Spanish Speaking Programs, offer academic support services to the broadest possible spectrum of students.

The Office of Accreditation and Assessment ensures that Kean maintains its high standards and works toward fulfilling its mission in serving both students and faculty.

The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, who reports directly to the University President, is responsible for over-all academic operations and office functions. The Deans, the Associate and Assistant Vice Presidents, and a senior administrative director report directly to the Senior Vice President. You can read more about the personnel of the Office of Academic Affairs and their activities on the “Meet the Staff” page of this site.