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Penn State Harrisburg chancellor to retire in mid-2018
David O'Connor//October 17, 2017//
Listen to this articleChancellor Mukund Kulkarni plans to step down next June 30 after more than 30 years of service to Penn State, officials at the Lower Swatara Township school said Tuesday.
Kulkarni joined Penn State Harrisburg in 1985 as a member of the business faculty. He also served as director of undergraduate studies, director of the school of business administration and senior associate dean for academic affairs before taking the top job in 2010.
Under Kulkarni, the student population grew, including a record number of international students. The campushad just over 4,200 students in fall 2010, Kulkarni’s first year, and has now reached a record high of 5,046, officials at the 51-year-old school said.
Kulkarni also oversaw introduction of new degree programs and the building of enhanced academic and student-life facilities, including a $30 million Student Enrichment Center that was unveiled in 2016.
In addition, he has helped the college increase its role as an economic development engine in Central Pennsylvania, school officials said.
“Under Dr. Kulkarni’s leadership, Penn State Harrisburg has prospered and grown, securing its standing as a vital regional asset,” Madlyn Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and also a former Penn State Harrisburg chancellor, said in a statement from the school.
Kulkarni also holds the rank of professor of finance, and is published widely in academic journals and other publications.
“While teaching and scholarship can often be individual endeavors, leading a campus requires a team of dedicated colleagues and a strong network of people who provide support from beyond the campus corridors,” Kulkarni said in the school statement. “I have been fortunate in that respect.”
