Kenna Arbuthnot Named Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School

LSU has named Keena Arbuthnot, Vice President and Chief Data Officer, as Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School, effective July 11. In this role, Arbuthnot will oversee more than 160 graduate degree programs, including doctoral programs in over 50 major fields of study, as Dean of the most extensive and comprehensive provider of graduate education in the state of Louisiana.

Arbuthnot will continue to serve as Vice President and Chief Data Officer, in addition to holding the Joan Pender McManus Distinguished Professorship in the College of Human Sciences & Education. This new dual leadership role aligns with President Tate's strategy to enhance graduate programs by providing cohesive leadership that bridges academic excellence and operational efficiency, ensuring that resources are strategically allocated and innovative data-driven approaches are employed to improve program quality and institutional performance.

"As a faculty member and LSU's Chief Data Officer, Dr. Arbuthnot is uniquely suited to serve as Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School," LSU President William F. Tate IV said. "Educating graduate students and preparing future researchers and faculty is a critical part of our mission as a research university and is a core value of our Scholarship First Agenda."

The Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School is integral to LSU's successful operations. Having awarded its first graduate degree in 1869, the Graduate School represents and supports all of LSU's graduate programs in partnership with departments, colleges, and other academic units involved in graduate education. This includes programs in the 10 disciplinary colleges and the School of Veterinary Medicine, as well as partners at the LSU system academic units, such as the Agricultural Center and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, where graduate students and programs are needed to support their work.

"Dr. Arbuthnot's background in Ph.D. education and data science is exactly what we need to lead our Graduate School to be among the best in the country," said Executive Vice President & Provost Roy Haggerty. "I am excited to collaborate with her more closely in this enhanced role."

Prior to her appointment as Vice President and Chief Data Officer, Arbuthnot's most recent role was Special Advisor to the President at LSU, and she also holds the esteemed position of Joan Pender McManus Distinguished Professor in the College of Human Sciences & Education. Before that, she served as the Special Advisor to the President on COVID-19 Response and an Associate Vice President in LSU's Office of Research and Economic Development, where she actively promoted and supported the university's research initiatives.

"I am truly honored to lead the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School at LSU. Our graduate programs are integral to the university's mission, driving both innovation and academic excellence. My commitment is to create a vibrant, supportive environment where our students can excel, utilizing data-driven insights to continually enhance their educational experience."

Before joining LSU in 2007, Arbuthnot served as a Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and a Masters of Education degree in Education Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in psychometrics, educational measurement, applied statistics, and program evaluation. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Central Missouri.

Arbuthnot's research is focused on standardized testing, evaluation, STEM education and achievement. Her most recent book project, titled "Global Perspectives on Educational Testing: Examining Fairness, High-Stakes and Policy Reform," captures her scholarly interests. Her research expertise has garnered national recognition, as reflected in her service on the ETS Graduate Records Examination(GRE) Technical Advisory Committee, the ETS Global Higher Education Technical Advisory Committee, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress and National Center for Educational Statistics Advisory Panel.

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