Nick Kehrwald

Kansas University’s first director of Student Conduct and Community Standards has left KU for a leadership position at another large university.

Nick Kehrwald is now associate dean of students at the University of Kentucky.

KU began interviewing candidates to replace him this month, and the Department of Student Affairs expects to fill the position early in the spring semester, KU spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said. She said no offer has been made at this time.

KU created Kehrwald’s position and hired him in 2011, following two high-profile fraternity hazing incidents. At one party where hazing was found to have occurred, a freshman was paralyzed after diving into a makeshift pool.

Hazing investigations had previously been conducted by assistant vice provosts in the office of the vice provost for student success.

At KU, Kehrwald also played a deciding role in KU’s adjudication of sexual assault complaints, which emerged as a controversial issue this year. KU is one of 91 universities — as of Wednesday — nationwide that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating after receiving complaints about their handling of one or more sexual assault cases.

Kehrwald’s name appeared in more than one national news story this fall after a woman who said she was raped at Lewis Hall shared her story, including her complaint that a punishment Kehrwald signed off on for her alleged assailant was too light.

Kehrwald, who has a law degree, worked in a similar position at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas before coming to KU.

KU spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson called the Kentucky job an “opportunity for advancement” for Kehrwald. He sought out the position in late July, accepted in early October and had his last day at KU at the end of November, Barcomb-Peterson said.

A message left for Kehrwald Friday afternoon at the University of Kentucky was not returned.