Kambiz Khalili, former associate vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has joined the University of Michigan as associate vice president for student life.
Also in the Division of Student Life, Simone Himbeault Taylor’s title has changed from associate vice president for student life to senior associate vice president for student life.
Simone Himbeault Taylor
Both appointments were approved Thursday by the Board of Regents at their monthly meeting.
Khalili is responsible for overseeing auxiliary operations within Student Life and fills the position following the departure of Loren Rullman, who left the university in July after 12 years of service.
Royster Harper, vice president for student life, says Khalili “has a passion for working with students and professionals in a higher education work environment. He is a gifted administrator with more than 21 years of experience at the senior administrative level overseeing multiple complex operations.”
In his most recent position as the associate vice chancellor, Khalili helped change the landscape of CU Boulder by providing leadership to develop a strategic plan that supported the construction of many of the recent landmark facilities on the campus. He also was instrumental in working with student leaders to create the Center for Student Involvement, and led efforts to merge the University Memorial Center Food Service with Housing & Dining Services.
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with U-M students and my new colleagues,” says Khalili. “I look forward to meeting the students, staff and faculty and finding opportunities to collaboratively contribute to the mission of the University of Michigan.”
Khalili earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Colorado in 1985 and his Master of Business Administration in 1997 from Colorado State University.
New responsibilities that accompany Taylor’s title change include partnering with academic departments in U-M’s 19 schools and colleges to strengthen relationships by providing strategic planning, guidance, support and accountability expectations. Her responsibilities will continue to include overseeing Student Life educational initiatives and her teaching responsibilities in the School of Education.
“As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Taylor is ideally suited to step into this role. I am pleased to recognize her role as a thought leader in Student Life and channel her talents and experience in this essential direction for our organization,” says Harper.
“Simone is a valued colleague who brings breadth and depth to our organization.”
Taylor joined U-M in 1977 and has served as associate vice president since 2001.
She has provided divisional and institutional leadership, and dedicated many efforts to student learning and development, advancing research and assessment, integrative learning and portfolio pedagogy, leadership education and, most recently, the First Year Experience, an initiative that connects first-year students to programs resources and opportunities at U-M.
Concurrently, she also serves as an adjunct associate professor in U-M’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. She has garnered professional recognition for both her scholarship and teaching.
“I am committed to our institution’s aim to prepare our students to live reflective, purposeful lives in service of contributing meaningfully to a global society. I’m eager to collaborate with our academic partners to advance this aim,” says Taylor.
A three-time graduate of U-M, Taylor earned her Bachelor of Arts in botany in 1977, a Master of Arts in counseling in 1982 and a Ph.D. in higher education in 1994.
