Among the many changes taking place on the Plymouth State College campus this summer, Julie Bernier will be accepting a new position as the Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Studies.
Bernier, a fourteen-year faculty member and current Chair of the HPER Department, is a graduate of Keene State College, with a BS and M.Ed. in Sports Medicine. Bernier also has a doctorate in Orthopedic Biochemistry Research from the University of Virginia, and is a published scholar in her field of study.
Over the years, Bernier has served as the coordinator of the Athletic Training program and she has chaired a number of committees and councils, both on and off campus. With a strong background in athletics, Bernier is excited about her transition, but confessed she is still unsure as to what to expect. “I hope to take some time to see how things are currently done and then, working with those involved, see if there are ways we can make improvements.”
The Undergraduate Studies Office is responsible for such things as reviewing student requests, appeals, approving requests for course overloads, the transfer of credits, interdisciplinary contracts, and Independent Study. “The office is also responsible for handling warnings, probations and severances, and working with students to help them determine the best course of action to get back on track,” Bernier said. “I will also be working with the PASS Office, the Writing Center, and Math Center.”
Although Bernier will be leaving a tenured position behind as part of her career move, she emphasizes, “If I didn’t believe in the direction the institution is heading and the current leadership, I wouldn’t have considered the job. This is a team I respect-a team I hope to contribute to in a meaningful way.”
Bernier will face two important issues with the acceptance of her new position: accreditation/assessment and general education. Aside from the accreditation process taking place over the next three years, Bernier is also concerned about the future of the general education program at PSC. “There has been a General Education Task Force working diligently for nearly two years on a proposal for a new general education program. The next step is to develop a few courses that would fit the new model and run a small ‘pilot’ to determine the next steps in the development of the program. I do not think the program is yet in its final form but their work is very exciting.”