Jeffrey Keenan has been named the inaugural assistant vice president for Student Affairs Facilities in the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs. He will assume his new role on July 28.

A retired lieutenant colonel with 21 years of service in the U.S. Army, Keenan brings extensive professional experience in facilities management, housing and maintenance operations, budget administration and crisis response.

Keenan’s career has spanned assignments at Fort Gordon, Smith Barracks in Germany, The Pentagon and Fort Campbell in Kentucky. He previously served at Augusta University from 2020 to 2022 as professor and chair of the Department of Military Science, leading the ROTC program and guiding education, training and student development.

“When I first came here in 2020, I felt like it was a preview of what the next chapter of my life would be like after the Army,” said Keenan. “Over the last 21 years of leading complex organizations and facilities across the world, I’ve been a part of very diverse environments that bring people from all corners of the country and all corners of the world to form a team and become a better version of themselves, so that experience makes me comfortable in this setting.”

Keenan earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Business Administration from Murray State University.

In his new role, Keenan will provide leadership to Housing and Residence Life, the Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre and all student support facilities within the division. This vital role will also represent the division on institutional committees and workgroups and serve as a liaison with university partners.

His responsibilities will include collaborating with Housing and Residence Life and the Maxwell Theatre for strategic planning and annual goals, ensuring the development of short-term and long-term maintenance and operational plans and assisting in executing AU’s emergency response plan and serving as a first responder for the division.

“My goal is to nest the efforts of all the Student Affairs’ stakeholders into our spaces,” said Keenan. “I feel our facilities are key enablers for initiatives that drive integration, persistence and success, and I aim to be a major supporter in enabling academic success and belonging for all of our teams.”

The assistant vice president for Student Affairs Facilities will report to Scott Wallace, PhD, associate vice president and dean of students.

“I am excited for the opportunity to work with Jeff. His background developing high-performing teams, managing large assets, including residence facilities and managing large complex budgets will be valuable to our university and the overall experience of our students,” Wallace said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge from experiences around the globe that will benefit us greatly as we work to strategically improve our Student Affairs’ facilities to support our growing student body.”

The new assistant vice president role was made possible through President Russell T. Keen‘s Build the Bench initiative, which aims to strengthen the university’s internal infrastructure and invest in its people. This strategic expansion represents a key step in enhancing and aligning the physical spaces that support student life.