Karen Doherty, professor of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), has been named A&S’ associate dean for faculty affairs. In this cabinet-level role, Doherty will work closely with department chairs and academic units to develop strategic faculty hiring and retention plans; assist in onboarding new faculty; develop support networks for faculty; and liaise with the Office of Faculty Affairs. She will also support the efforts of the senior associate dean, other members of the cabinet, and faculty in the areas of promotion and tenure; managing regular review and leave processes; and assessing College governance and policy documentation, committees, and processes, including serving as a representative of the College at a variety of meetings of councils and committees across campus.

A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi says that Doherty is the right person for this role. In addition to her being a faculty member at Syracuse for almost 30 years, she has served as the department chair of CSD and been a successful scholar and teacher, having received external funding for her research and the University’s Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award.

“I’m so pleased to welcome Professor Doherty to this new role at A&S,” says Mortazavi. “In addition to her experience with faculty mentoring and support as a department chair, she has also served on the College Promotion and Tenure Committee—experience that will serve us well as we seek to help our faculty develop their strengths in research and teaching to meet the demands of the academy in the 21st century.”

“I am honored to join Dean Mortazavi’s cabinet and work with the outstanding faculty in the College to promote academic excellence, all of whom play a vital role in the mission of Syracuse University,” says Professor Doherty. “I look forward to collaborating with the A&S department chairs and all faculty to foster a supportive environment where everyone can succeed as a scholar and teacher.”

While carrying out the duties of this part-time cabinet position, Doherty will continue to conduct research and teach courses for the communication sciences and disorders department.

Doherty joined the CSD department at Syracuse University in 1996. She has taught courses on hearing aids, hearing science and clinical audiology, and has been an integral member of the neuroscience program and Aging Studies Institute. The focus of Doherty's research is twofold: studying the effects of age-related hearing loss on people’s ability to communicate and developing methods to improve older adults’ use of hearing aids. Doherty’s research has been funded by NIH/NIA, NIH/NIDCD, National Organization for Hearing Research and multiple foundations.

She was the chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders from 2014 to 2021, President of the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology in 2021, and currently is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. In May 2024, Doherty was named the University of Connecticut’s Department of Speech Language and Hearing Science’s Distinguished Alumnus.

Professor Doherty holds a Ph.D. in audiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, M.A. in audiology from the University of Connecticut and B.S. in communicative disorders from the University of Rhode Island.

Her four-year appointment as associate dean began September 1, 2024.