Dr. Ann B. Kerr

President, Florida Southern College

Educational Background:

Florida State University, Ph.D.
Higher Education

Florida State University, M.S.
Higher Education

Mercer University, B.A.

Editor's Note: Visit the virtual Frank Lloyd Wright's Child of the Sun Walking Tour

By Rachel Navarre, Karen Serrano, Aurelio Manuel Valente and Beth Wrinkle, Nov. 2007

At Florida Southern College, Dr. Anne Kerr is not only serving as the institution’s seventeenth president but also curator for the largest single site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright structures which draws 30,000 visitors annually to the college. The historical significance of the campus’ architecture has resulted in Florida Southern’s recent designation by distinguished architects, art historians, and archeologists to the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Florida Southern shares this designation with other sites such as the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu and is central to Dr. Kerr’s preservation efforts to restore the historic structures that have been in a state of disrepair due to years of deferred maintenance. Many of the buildings, esplanades, and the Water Dome are part of a campus master plan which includes restoration and construction projects in anticipation of the 70th anniversary of Wright’s relationship with the college.

Dr. Kerr’s experience in higher education began at Florida State University where she served as a Head Resident in Murphee Hall during her Master’s degree and doctoral coursework. Her experience is defined by the Ted Bundy murders on campus in 1978 where she worked during frenzied circumstances to make her 400 freshmen women feel safe and worked with other staff to review and implement safety procedures during a chaotic time. Dr. Hardee, who President Kerr describes as a “dynamo” was supportive to her during this difficult period and offered her own advice from working with students and managing campus environments resulting from student protest and campus unrest that characterized the late 60’s and early 70’s. While there are changes in the college students we now serve from her time as a Head Resident at FSU, Dr. Kerr believes that fundamentally, there are still core responsibilities in our work in student affairs such as developing programs and services that build a sense of community and ensure a safe and caring learning environment.

Beyond Florida State, Dr. Kerr’s 25 years of experience in college and university administration includes serving as assistant dean of students at the University of Central Florida, associate dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins, vice president at Rollins College, and most recently as vice president at the University of Richmond. In these various roles, Dr. Kerr gained valuable experiences building academic programs and advocating for the value of higher education in the community. While Dr. Kerr was at Rollins College, she was unknowingly mentored by then president, Dr. Rita Bornstein. “Dr. Bornstein must have seen something in me and taken me under her wing,” said Dr. Kerr, “I benefited greatly from her advice and mentorship.” As vice president of the University of Richmond, Dr. Kerr was nominated for the position of presidency at Florida Southern College. She had always been interested in athletics and religious-based institutions, and with Florida Southern's 26 NCAA Division II national championships and its affiliation with the United Methodist Church, she knew it would be a perfect institutional fit for her personal and professional values. Now in her fourth year as president, Dr. Kerr says that integrity, good judgment, leadership and managerial skills are three important qualities for any college president. She also emphasized not losing sight of how what you do as president impacts people's lives.

Dr. Kerr enjoys the challenges and opportunities that come with leading a religiously affiliated institution. Florida Southern values its affiliation with the United Methodist Church. The biggest impact of the church is reflected in providing scholarships to FSC students. FSC seeks to give students a well-rounded education that emphasizes academic excellence, spirituality, wellness, professional preparation and most importantly giving back and making a contribution to society. Dr. Kerr noted that students who attend Florida Southern find themselves among a tight knit community with small classes and an optimum learning environment. She notes there is a strong essence of spirituality on campus and that multiple religions and campus ministries are represented at Florida Southern.

The presidency does present challenges, not the least of which are institutional finances and accreditation. Dr. Kerr indicated accreditation presents a challenge for all institutions regardless of size or type, but it can be particularly difficult for small private institutions like Florida Southern which must meet the same requirements their large public counterparts do. In conjunction with preparing for the accreditation process, Florida Southern is also currently assessing whether to reinstitute tenure to the college.

“Fundraising is also part of any President’s role,” she says, “all Presidents should and can learn how to fundraise since development is very important for institutional growth.” Dr. Kerr enjoys the challenges associated with development and discussed the tangible outcomes of fundraising. “It is a great feeling seeing buildings go up, hiring new faculty, and watching students receiving scholarships. I enjoy fundraising. It is not just about getting those transformative gifts, it is also about building relationships.”

Another issue for her consideration as president is tenure. While tenure previously existed at Florida Southern, it was abolished and presently only two faculty members currently work under the tenure system. When asked why tenure is being revisited at Florida Southern, Dr. Kerr replies that “tenure is a critical recruiting tool to secure the best faculty. Even though we offer multi-year contracts, we know that great faculty have not considered teaching here simply because we don’t have a tenure system.” At Florida Southern, a new tenure system will likely focus on teaching excellence and meeting institutional objectives. The college faculty are currently defining expectations for teaching excellence and how it would align with a new tenure system. “It’s an exciting opportunity to define tenure so that it is an institutional advantage for us,” said Dr. Kerr.

“We wear many hats,” Dr. Kerr said, describing her duties as the institution’s executive officer. Presidents may be seen as the all-knowing entity on campus, but Dr. Kerr shared that even as the leader of Florida Southern, she still continues to learn. “I’ve learned that I am a leader, but need to improve my skills as a manager. I may want to advance an initiative at a fast pace, but I realize that each of the divisions may need to go at a different pace.” Understanding this about Florida Southern allows her to plan and adopt changes accordingly.

It is clear that being President of an institution is demanding and challenging. In addition to the role and responsibilities she has on campus, Dr. Kerr is also a wife and mother. When asked about pursuing a career and raising a family, Dr. Kerr says, “You can’t have it all. You have to constantly set priorities. If you ask my son what he thinks about my job, he will tell you it’s terrible.” Thirteen-year-old Eddie participates in many of the College functions, including athletic events and dining with students and guests at their home, since they live on the campus. When asked how she does it all, Dr. Kerr responds, “I have a loving and supportive husband. He retired so that I may pursue this position. Without his support I would not be able to do all of this.” President, Curator, Fundraiser, Wife, and Mother are only some of the “hats” Dr. Kerr wears.


				Dr. Ann B. Kerr President, Florida Southern College Educational Background: Florida State University, Ph.D. Higher Education Florida State University, M.S. Higher Education Mercer University, B.A. Editor's Note: Visit the virtual Frank Lloyd Wright's Child of the Sun Walking Tour ## By Rachel Navarre, Karen Serrano, Aurelio Manuel Valente and Beth Wrinkle, Nov. 2007 At Florida Southern College, Dr. Anne Kerr is not only serving as the institution’s seventeenth president but also curator for the largest single site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright structures which draws 30,000 visitors annually to the college. The historical significance of the campus’ architecture has resulted in Florida Southern’s recent designation by distinguished architects, art historians, and archeologists to the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Florida Southern shares this designation with other sites such as the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu and is central to Dr. Kerr’s preservation efforts to restore the historic structures that have been in a state of disrepair due to years of deferred maintenance. Many of the buildings, esplanades, and the Water Dome are part of a campus master plan which includes restoration and construction projects in anticipation of the 70th anniversary of Wright’s relationship with the college. Dr. Kerr’s experience in higher education began at Florida State University where she served as a Head Resident in Murphee Hall during her Master’s degree and doctoral coursework. Her experience is defined by the Ted Bundy murders on campus in 1978 where she worked during frenzied circumstances to make her 400 freshmen women feel safe and worked with other staff to review and implement safety procedures during a chaotic time. Dr. Hardee, who President Kerr describes as a “dynamo” was supportive to her during this difficult period and offered her own advice from working with students and managing campus environments resulting from student protest and campus unrest that characterized the late 60’s and early 70’s. While there are changes in the college students we now serve from her time as a Head Resident at FSU, Dr. Kerr believes that fundamentally, there are still core responsibilities in our work in student affairs such as developing programs and services that build a sense of community and ensure a safe and caring learning environment. Beyond Florida State, Dr. Kerr’s 25 years of experience in college and university administration includes serving as assistant dean of students at the University of Central Florida, associate dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins, vice president at Rollins College, and most recently as vice president at the University of Richmond. In these various roles, Dr. Kerr gained valuable experiences building academic programs and advocating for the value of higher education in the community. While Dr. Kerr was at Rollins College, she was unknowingly mentored by then president, Dr. Rita Bornstein. “Dr. Bornstein must have seen something in me and taken me under her wing,” said Dr. Kerr, “I benefited greatly from her advice and mentorship.” As vice president of the University of Richmond, Dr. Kerr was nominated for the position of presidency at Florida Southern College. She had always been interested in athletics and religious-based institutions, and with Florida Southern's 26 NCAA Division II national championships and its affiliation with the United Methodist Church, she knew it would be a perfect institutional fit for her personal and professional values. Now in her fourth year as president, Dr. Kerr says that integrity, good judgment, leadership and managerial skills are three important qualities for any college president. She also emphasized not losing sight of how what you do as president impacts people's lives. Dr. Kerr enjoys the challenges and opportunities that come with leading a religiously affiliated institution. Florida Southern values its affiliation with the United Methodist Church. The biggest impact of the church is reflected in providing scholarships to FSC students. FSC seeks to give students a well-rounded education that emphasizes academic excellence, spirituality, wellness, professional preparation and most importantly giving back and making a contribution to society. Dr. Kerr noted that students who attend Florida Southern find themselves among a tight knit community with small classes and an optimum learning environment. She notes there is a strong essence of spirituality on campus and that multiple religions and campus ministries are represented at Florida Southern. The presidency does present challenges, not the least of which are institutional finances and accreditation. Dr. Kerr indicated accreditation presents a challenge for all institutions regardless of size or type, but it can be particularly difficult for small private institutions like Florida Southern which must meet the same requirements their large public counterparts do. In conjunction with preparing for the accreditation process, Florida Southern is also currently assessing whether to reinstitute tenure to the college. “Fundraising is also part of any President’s role,” she says, “all Presidents should and can learn how to fundraise since development is very important for institutional growth.” Dr. Kerr enjoys the challenges associated with development and discussed the tangible outcomes of fundraising. “It is a great feeling seeing buildings go up, hiring new faculty, and watching students receiving scholarships. I enjoy fundraising. It is not just about getting those transformative gifts, it is also about building relationships.” Another issue for her consideration as president is tenure. While tenure previously existed at Florida Southern, it was abolished and presently only two faculty members currently work under the tenure system. When asked why tenure is being revisited at Florida Southern, Dr. Kerr replies that “tenure is a critical recruiting tool to secure the best faculty. Even though we offer multi-year contracts, we know that great faculty have not considered teaching here simply because we don’t have a tenure system.” At Florida Southern, a new tenure system will likely focus on teaching excellence and meeting institutional objectives. The college faculty are currently defining expectations for teaching excellence and how it would align with a new tenure system. “It’s an exciting opportunity to define tenure so that it is an institutional advantage for us,” said Dr. Kerr. “We wear many hats,” Dr. Kerr said, describing her duties as the institution’s executive officer. Presidents may be seen as the all-knowing entity on campus, but Dr. Kerr shared that even as the leader of Florida Southern, she still continues to learn. “I’ve learned that I am a leader, but need to improve my skills as a manager. I may want to advance an initiative at a fast pace, but I realize that each of the divisions may need to go at a different pace.” Understanding this about Florida Southern allows her to plan and adopt changes accordingly. It is clear that being President of an institution is demanding and challenging. In addition to the role and responsibilities she has on campus, Dr. Kerr is also a wife and mother. When asked about pursuing a career and raising a family, Dr. Kerr says, “You can’t have it all. You have to constantly set priorities. If you ask my son what he thinks about my job, he will tell you it’s terrible.” Thirteen-year-old Eddie participates in many of the College functions, including athletic events and dining with students and guests at their home, since they live on the campus. When asked how she does it all, Dr. Kerr responds, “I have a loving and supportive husband. He retired so that I may pursue this position. Without his support I would not be able to do all of this.” President, Curator, Fundraiser, Wife, and Mother are only some of the “hats” Dr. Kerr wears.