Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources

December 4, 2025

Dear all,

I am delighted to announce that Professor and Associate Dean Kelli Duncan has accepted the position of Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources and has been approved by the Board of Trustees with a five-year appointment beginning July 1, 2026.

Professor Duncan comes to the position after nearly 15 years as a professor of biology and 18 months as the Associate Dean for both the offices of DOSPAR and the Dean of Faculty. In her academic role, Professor Duncan began at Vassar as an Assistant Professor of Biology in 2011, was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2018, and to Full Professor in 2022. She has taught in the Exploring Transfer and Exploring College programs, the University of Global Health Equity, chaired the Neuroscience and Behavior Program, served as an Equity Advisor and the Faculty Director of Teaching Development, completed the Faculty Leadership Development program, and been a House Fellow. Her research examines how the brain interacts with hormones to influence its function and behavior—focusing on the endocrine system’s response to traumatic brain injury, among other topics.

In her role as Associate Dean, Professor Duncan has collaborated closely with the areas that report to the DOSPAR as well as overseen a range of college-wide budgets and spaces, including classroom renovation planning, office allocations, and the science equipment reserve fund. She has worked closely with Facilities Operations, Finance and Administration, Advancement, many academic departments, and has been the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) and the convener of the Native American Advisory Committee (NAAC). These experiences have prepared Professor Duncan well for leading as the DOSPAR and a senior officer of the College.

With this breadth and depth of academic and administrative experience, Professor Duncan is well prepared to make an outstanding DOSPAR. I am very grateful to the guidance and wisdom of the search committee throughout the application and selection process, including Annie Brancky, Kirsten Menking, Margaret Ronsheim, Jeffrey Seidman, and Yu Zhou.

I am deeply thankful to Dean Begemann, who has served as the DOSPAR for more than a decade and done so with enormous creativity and care for the Vassar campus and community. In her role, she has profoundly shaped the college through her commitment to thoughtful, inclusive planning and leadership.

Please join me in welcoming Kelli Duncan to her new role!

Elizabeth H. Bradley, President
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
@EHBVassar