Karen Farris Named Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Graduate and Undergraduate Education

The University of Michigan Board of Regents have approved the appointment of Karen Farris, PhD’93, as the College’s associate dean for faculty affairs and graduate and undergraduate education, effective September 1, 2022.

Dr. Farris earned her PhD in pharmacy from the University of Michigan in 1993. She joined the College of Pharmacy faculty in 2010, currently serving as the Charles R. Walgreen III Professor of Pharmacy Administration and Director of the Clinical Pharmacy Translational Sciences Graduate and Fellowship Program.

“Dr. Farris is an outstanding mentor and advocate for all students,” says Vicki Ellingrod, PharmD, FCCP, FACNP, dean and John Gideon Searle Professor of Pharmacy. “I am excited to work with her and have no doubt that she will excel in this role.”

“I am honored to take on this new role,” says Dr. Farris. “I am passionate about supporting faculty and trainees so that they can achieve their professional goals. My experiences as a chair, doctoral/master student mentor, and junior faculty mentor provide me with a solid foundation for this role.”

“I will honor and model our college’s values – community, integrity, excellence, collaboration, and leadership – in my work and my interactions with faculty, staff and trainees,” continues Dr. Farris. “For faculty, I will assure that they are supported in all aspects of our university’s mission, and that they are mentored and have a system to be successful across the ranks.”

“Supporting graduate education is one of the best parts of our university and my academic career,” says Dr. Farris. “I am excited to support our students as they pursue their academic careers and to continue our engagement after completing their advanced degrees. I will work with the department chairs and other College leaders to promote the vitality of graduate education recruitment, career development, and celebratory events.”

“Further, I am excited to work with our undergraduate students to help them identify and find the path that matches their skills and passions, be it employment, PharmD or other professional education, or graduate education,” says Dr. Farris.

“An additional important goal is to further develop our partnerships with industry and government – building on our current successes – to assure that all our students have unparalleled opportunities. I will work collaboratively with all stakeholders to help achieve this goal,” concludes Dr. Farris.

Dr. Farris is a pharmacy health services researcher, focusing on how individuals manage medications and how pharmacists influence medication use. Her most recent work is focused on the symptom experience and medication adherence with oral anti-cancer agents. Dr. Farris was named Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award in Biological/Life Sciences at the University of Iowa in 2007 and Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor in 2016 at the University of Michigan. She served as chair of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy from 2014-2020. She also serves as the Executive Vice President of The Rho Chi Society, overseeing the National Office that resides at the University of Michigan.