Rebecca Ropers

Rebecca Ropers is a Professor and Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She holds a Ph.D., M.S., and B.A. from the University of Wisconsin system in fields including Educational Administration and Psychology. Her research focuses on equity-oriented change, leadership in higher education, and addressing race and gender dynamics in academic institutions. Ropers has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the American Council on Education Fellowship (2022-23) and the Fulbright-Klagenfurt Visiting Professorship (2014).

Her work emphasizes creating inclusive educational environments through critical discourse analysis and policy reform. Key areas of study include diversity initiatives in student affairs, the lived experiences of marginalized groups in academia, and feminist methodologies in research. Ropers has contributed to over 25 peer-reviewed publications and edited volumes, including works on gender equity in Austrian universities and the role of whiteness in higher education.

• Professional Roles: Interim Executive Vice Chancellor, Academic Leadership Development
• Key Contributions: Over 15 years of scholarship on institutional change, equity policy design, and intersectional student experiences
• Labs/Teams: Active in the Office of Academic Programs and Leadership Development (OLPD), collaborating with national academic alliances like the Big 10 Academic Alliance