Patrick Guilfoile has been named Bemidji State University’s associate vice president of academic affairs. Guilfoile had been filling the position on an interim basis since 2009.

Guilfoile joined the faculty at Bemidji State as an assistant professor in 1994. He was promoted to associate professor in 1997 and full professor in the Department of Biology in 2001. He was chair of the Department of Biology from 2000-07 before moving into administration as associate dean of BSU’s Department of Professional Education. From there, he spent one year as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before being named interim associate vice president of academic affairs in July, 2009.

In his role as associate vice president, Guilfoile’s primary responsibilities have included university-wide assessment of student learning outcomes, curriculum review, budgeting for Academic Affairs, faculty hiring and grant and contract review. He also oversees Bemidji State’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness and the Office of the Registrar.

“I feel very fortunate to have worked with a group of dedicated administrators, faculty and staff during the past nearly 20 years, and I look forward to continuing our work to make Bemidji State University an even better institution,” Guilfoile said. “It is a privilege to work in higher education and to help foster and nurture the learning and personal development that leads our students to better lives as workers, citizens and family members. I look forward to helping address the many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Prior to joining the BSU faculty, Guilfoile taught middle and high school biology and earth science in Wisconsin and was a teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and at the University of Wisconsin.

He has written eight books in the Chelsea House Publishers/InfoBase Publishing series “Deadly Diseases and Epidemics,” including books on lung cancer, human papillomavirus, AIDS and HIV, whooping cough, chicken pox, diphtheria, tetanus and anti-biotic resistant bacteria. In addition, he has authored a number of journal articles in the biological sciences and biology education.

Guilfoile earned his bachelor’s degree in biology and outdoor education from Northland College and a master’s degree in teaching biology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Guilfoile earned his doctorate in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he has done postdoctorate research and fellowship work at the University of Wisconsin and at the Whitehead Institute at MIT.