Kari Saunier named associate provost for academic budget and planning, John Day announces retirement

Ohio University Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Elizabeth Sayrs has named Kari Saunier as associate provost for academic budget and planning. Saunier’s appointment follows the announcement from John Day that he plans to retire from Ohio University on June 30, 2024.

Day currently serves as associate provost for academic budget and planning, associate dean of the College of Business and professor of management information systems.

Saunier will start her new role this academic year, so she can overlap with Day for knowledge transfer. She will be in the role full-time effective May 1, 2024.  

An OHIO graduate, Saunier is the chief operating and senior strategy officer for Ohio University’s College of Fine Arts (CoFA) and has worked in the college for seven years. Prior to joining CoFA, Saunier worked in OHIO’s Office of Budget Planning and Analysis for four years, including serving as the assistant director.

Saunier earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, Bachelor of Science in Education in Integrated Mathematics, and a Master of Education Administration with a finance focus, all from Ohio University.  Saunier’s father, David Resler, also worked at Ohio University, first in the Edwards Accelerator Laboratory, earning his Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from OHIO, and later as a manager in the Office of Information Technology.

“I am very pleased that Kari Saunier will be transitioning into this critical role. Her wealth of knowledge and experience will benefit the University, and I am looking forward to working with her,” Sayrs said.

“At the same time, I will deeply miss John Day, who has worked tirelessly for Ohio University in several critical roles during his career,” Sayrs said. “I am grateful to John for his outstanding service and dedication.”

Throughout his time at Ohio University, Day has made a positive difference through the students he taught, the programs and initiatives he led, and his commitment to student success.

“I have been in Athens since 1965 when my father took a position in the College of Business,” Day said. His father, William A. “Bill” Day, later also served as associate provost, in addition to serving as dean of the College of Business from 1987 – 1993.

In 1974, Day enrolled as a student and went on to earn three degrees in experimental psychology. After completing his Ph.D., Day joined the College of Business as a visiting faculty member. He moved to a tenure track position in 1984 and then served as chair of the Management information Systems (MIS) Department for 13 years, associate dean for 22 years and associate provost for 16 years (with the different responsibilities overlapping in most years). He also served as interim budget director under President Emeritus Hugh Sherman.

Asked about his work at OHIO over his career, Day reflected on several of the projects and initiatives he has helped shepherd.

“I have had a chance to be involved with the beginning of many efforts that have had an impact on the College of Business including innovations such as the creation of the MIS department, the Business Cluster, the Global Competitiveness Program, the MBA without boundaries and Brazil seminars,” Day said. “At the University level, I have been involved in many initiatives such as the development of the budget model, the tuition guarantee, the capital plan, the faculty compensation task force and Budget Planning Council.”

As for what he has enjoyed most about his time at Ohio University, Day said he is grateful for the people he has been fortunate to work with and get to know during his time at OHIO.

“The thing I have enjoyed most about my association with the University is the people, both the students that I have interacted with in the classroom and the other faculty and staff that have been a part of this University,” Day said.