Mark Braun, Provost and Dean of the College at Gustavus, received the 2014 Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Chief Academic Officer Award at the 42nd Annual Institute for Chief Academic and Chief Financial Officers on Saturday, Nov. 1 in Portland, Ore.
This prestigious award, which was created in 1987, was presented to Braun in recognition of his contributions to colleagues at independent colleges and universities across the country.
“Provost Braun is an exemplary chief academic officer with more than two decades of service at Gustavus,” Gustavus President Rebecca Bergman said. “As I witness his work with faculty members, the College’s vice presidents, and his team in Academic Affairs, I am constantly reminded of his consummate professionalism and the passion with which he carries out his daily responsibilities.”
Braun has served as provost and dean at Gustavus since 2011. He previously served as senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college at Augustana College (SD) from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that, Braun served Gustavus for 17 years, first as a professor and chair of the Department of Communication Studies, where he taught courses in media and society, media process and criticism, broadcasting, organizational communication, communication theory, and persuasion, and as Associate Dean from 1999 to 2007.
He has made numerous presentations at the Institute for Chief Academic Officers (CAO)—the largest annual meeting of CAOs in the nation—and at the CIC Workshops for Department and Division Chairs on topics such as mission-based financial planning and faculty mentoring and evaluation . Since 2011, Braun has served as one of the coordinators of the Mentor Program for new chief academic officers, helping many of his colleagues as they begin their tenure as CAOs.
Braun holds a doctorate in speech communication from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is currently a member of the board of the American Conference of Academic Deans, has served on assessment and planning teams for the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and has been a member of the board of directors of the Broadcast Education Association. In 1994, he received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the city of Mankato for his many contributions to that community.
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