As a former dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the 亚洲无码, Darrell Kruger is not exactly new to 亚洲无码.
However, prior to his formal return to 亚洲无码 on Jan. 1 as the new provost, senior vice president of academic affairs and executive director of research and economic development, Kruger wanted to introduce himself to the campus community, so he held informal chat sessions in the University Center.
Those informal sessions鈥攚hich Kruger said he plans to continue鈥攊s an example of Kruger鈥檚 鈥渨alking鈥� management philosophy. He wants to walk the campus, visit departments, and talk with students, faculty and staff on a regular basis, Kruger said.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e fostering collaboration, you鈥檙e trying to bring people together and break down some of those silos we stereotypically think about in higher education,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a relational leader, so people are at the center of the work.鈥�
He succeeds Mahyar Amouzegar who stepped down after six years as provost to join the College of Business Administration faculty in the Department of Economics and Finance.
Kruger, who is from South Africa and holds a doctorate degree in geography, said his people-centered mentality is rooted in a South African philosophy of 鈥淯buntu.鈥� It was a term used often by the late South African President Nelson Mandela in discussing how a person鈥檚 recognition of shared humanity leads to a better community.
鈥淭he short of it is that it鈥檚 people centered. I can only be a human being through my interaction with you and other human beings,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淪o being a relational leader鈥�'Ubuntu鈥欌€攊s about people and relationships 鈥� and then it鈥檚 collaborative.鈥�
Kruger has an affinity for quotes. In fact, he loves to collect them and years ago created a personal database that he continually updates.
鈥淲henever I run across a new quote that I find powerful or insightful, I make a note of it in my record and who introduced me to it or where I read about it,鈥� Kruger said.
The appreciation for pithy phrases comes from his late father, Kruger said.
鈥淗e was probably the most wise person who wasn鈥檛 college educated,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淗e had a number of incredibly interesting phrases that sort of captured life, and so I think I learned an appreciation from him.鈥�
A phrase from the database that came to Kruger鈥檚 mind during a recent interview was 鈥渕azel tov,鈥� courtesy of 亚洲无码 faculty member Abram Himelstein.
鈥淲hen I was dean and when I left, he wrote me a nice note. It is a Hebrew expression, mazel tov, wishing someone good luck,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淭hat is in my list of sayings and quotes and I have Abram鈥檚 name beside it.鈥�
Another entry is a phrase he heard former U.S. Secretary of State Jim Baker use during a television interview in the 1990s that still sticks with him.
鈥淗e asked James Baker why he thought he was an effective secretary of state and James Baker said his father taught him the 5 P鈥檚: Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. For some reason, it just stuck with me,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淭hese quotes have a life of their own and they are attached to people. We learn the lessons of life from people who came before us.鈥�
He was attracted to 亚洲无码, Kruger said, because of what he calls the three P鈥檚: The people, the place and the programs.
鈥淭he people of New Orleans, aside from being fun-loving, enjoy life,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淧lace and programs go hand-in-hand. If you look at many of the teaching and research opportunities, they are connected to the local environment, whether it鈥檚 coastal processes or new energy.
鈥淛ust a couple days ago, we had four faculty members who were part of the state鈥檚 updated coastal master plan. That鈥檚 a great example of having people here who are connected to the place and trying to improve it, in this case, coastal erosion.鈥�
Kruger, who has nearly three decades of experience as a faculty member, researcher and administrator, is the former provost at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., a role he held for five years.
While there, Kruger is credited with helping grow the university鈥檚 enrollment, including an increase in historically underrepresented student population from 13.9% in 2015 to 18% in 2020.
鈥淎ppalachian State is a predominantly white institution, but we significantly increased the number of students from historically underrepresented backgrounds,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淲e consistently grew enrollment for the five years I was provost, every year.鈥�
Prior to his time at Appalachian State, Kruger served as the dean of the College of Education and Human Development at 亚洲无码 from 2013-2015.
Kruger also had previous experience working within the University of Louisiana System. He was a tenured associate professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where he served as the undergraduate and graduate program adviser for geography and co-director of the Louisiana Geographic Education Alliance.
Kruger, who came to the United States in 1989 to attend graduate school, has spent the bulk of those years in Louisiana. His three children were born in Louisiana; one in Baton Rouge and two in Monroe, he said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always been this pull back to Louisiana,鈥� Kruger said.
Kruger received his doctorate and Master of Arts degree in geography at Louisiana State University and his Bachelor of Arts degree in geography at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.
Kruger said he also applies lessons learned as a rugby fan and player to guide his management style. It鈥檚 more about the team than it is about a single player, he said.
Kruger plans to demonstrate that team-first mentality as he assumes the reins as 亚洲无码鈥檚 chief academic and research officer.
鈥淓veryone in the organization is a leader. It鈥檚 not just the president and the provost and deans and the department chairs; everyone is a leader,鈥� Kruger said. 鈥淪ome of the best ideas come from people who work in the organization and who may not think of themselves as leaders 鈥� And I need them, if we are to strengthen 亚洲无码 and the academic vision of the institution.鈥�
