Dr. Sam Kerr
Dr. Sam Kerr began his career in the education industry in 1983 as a high school English/Journalism instructor. He also taught education courses at a local tribal college. He left teaching to attend law school in 1989. After graduating from law school, he started his legal practice at Wallahan & Eicher in Rapid City, SD, from 1992 to 1995. He then served as a litigation attorney and managing partner of Banks, Johnson, Colbath & Kerr, Prof. LLC, from 1995 to 2001. While at the Banks, Johnson law firm, Dr. Kerr represented several higher education institutions in various matters, including USDE Title IV and Title IX Issues, Title VII, facilities, trademark, and employment practices issues.
Dr. Kerr left private practice in 2001 to serve as vice president for human resources and general counsel at National American University (NAU) in Rapid City from 2001 to 2004. He then served as system vice president for administration and general counsel of NAU from 2004 to 2008. In April 2008, Dr. Kerr was promoted to provost.
He served as provost until 2013 when he was promoted to chief operating officer, adding executive responsibility for financial aid, student accounts, human resources, legal affairs, information technology, institutional effectiveness, and alumni services. Dr. Kerr provided leadership for all strategic and operational planning activities for the university. For 11 years, he was secretary to the university’s board of governors.
Dr. Kerr has a keen understanding of how legal and regulatory issues translate into practical functioning for postsecondary educational institutions. When the U.S. Department of Education enacted regulations that established new requirements for postsecondary institutions to be eligible for federal student financial aid programs, Dr. Kerr initiated the creation of, and successfully led, a coalition of diverse South Dakota colleges and universities to effectuate a change in that state’s postsecondary education laws to conform with the new federal mandate.
In addition, Dr. Kerr has served as a peer reviewer and team chair for the Higher Learning Commission since 2006. Over the last 9 years, he has also served (and continues to serve) in a number of other capacities with the Commission, including the Institutional Actions Council, institutional eligibility reviewer, federal compliance evaluator, and contract review committee member.
Dr. Kerr has provided consulting services on a number of higher education topics, including accreditation, compliance, governance, curriculum development, academic program review, assessment of student learning, and strategic and operational planning.
Dr. Kerr holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an Education Doctorate from the University of South Dakota.
Dr. Kerr left private practice in 2001 to serve as vice president for human resources and general counsel at National American University (NAU) in Rapid City from 2001 to 2004. He then served as system vice president for administration and general counsel of NAU from 2004 to 2008. In April 2008, Dr. Kerr was promoted to provost.
He served as provost until 2013 when he was promoted to chief operating officer, adding executive responsibility for financial aid, student accounts, human resources, legal affairs, information technology, institutional effectiveness, and alumni services. Dr. Kerr provided leadership for all strategic and operational planning activities for the university. For 11 years, he was secretary to the university’s board of governors.
Dr. Kerr has a keen understanding of how legal and regulatory issues translate into practical functioning for postsecondary educational institutions. When the U.S. Department of Education enacted regulations that established new requirements for postsecondary institutions to be eligible for federal student financial aid programs, Dr. Kerr initiated the creation of, and successfully led, a coalition of diverse South Dakota colleges and universities to effectuate a change in that state’s postsecondary education laws to conform with the new federal mandate.
In addition, Dr. Kerr has served as a peer reviewer and team chair for the Higher Learning Commission since 2006. Over the last 9 years, he has also served (and continues to serve) in a number of other capacities with the Commission, including the Institutional Actions Council, institutional eligibility reviewer, federal compliance evaluator, and contract review committee member.
Dr. Kerr has provided consulting services on a number of higher education topics, including accreditation, compliance, governance, curriculum development, academic program review, assessment of student learning, and strategic and operational planning.
Dr. Kerr holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an Education Doctorate from the University of South Dakota.