UHCL professor tapped for leadership role

March 8, 2017 | Jim Townsend

University of Houston-Clear Lake has named Professor of Reading and Language Arts Kathryn I. Matthew as interim associate vice president for Academic Affairs as of Feb. 1. She takes over following the departure of former Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Mrinal Mugdh Varma, who resigned to become provost and senior vice chancellor at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama.

Matthew will now oversee the Center for Faculty Development and the Offices of Institutional Effectiveness, E-Learning Services, Sponsored Programs, Pearland Campus Operations, Transition Programs – Title III Grant. She will also serve as chief academic officer in the absence of the provost.

“I am pleased that Dr. Matthew accepted this position. Her ability to see both the big picture and the small details make her right for this role,” said A. Glen Houston, interim senior vice president for Academic Affairs and provost.

“In 2010, she graciously stepped into the role of interim associate dean of what is now the College of Education. She held this position for four years before stepping down to return to the classroom. During those four years she more than proved her leadership qualities.”

Matthew says those years as associate dean prepared her for her current role, as it allowed her to work with faculty and administrators.

“The fact that I know all the people in this office on a personal basis, and that they are all very supportive of me and have been over the years, is why I can take this position and know that I’ve found the support that I need,” Matthew said.

One aspect of her stint as associate dean that she hopes to carry over to the vice presidency is “finding people who don’t hesitate to come in my office and give me advice or offer me constructive criticism,” she said.

Ultimately, she said, it was the university’s culture that cemented her decision.

“The fact that we all are very concerned about each other personally. That’s important to me: the family atmosphere; the support; and that people are so open and down-to-earth.”

Matthew joined UH-Clear Lake in 2005 from the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center. Prior to that she was at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. Author and co-author of nine books, from 2005 to 2010 she was also director of the Greater Houston Area Writing Project.

Matthew received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s of Education from the University of New Orleans. She received her doctorate in Education from the University of Houston.