Leadership

Lynn Perry Wooten Will Be the First African American President of Simmons University

Most recently, Dr. Wooten has been serving as the David J. Nolan Dean and Professor of Management and Organizations at Cornell University’s Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Prior to her position at Cornell, Dr. Wooten served on the faculty at the University of Michigan for nearly two decades.

The First Black Woman to Lead a College at Oxford University in England

Since 2015, Baroness Valerie Amos has served as director of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. From 2010 to 2015, Amos served as undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator at the United Nations.

Two Black Women Named Finalists for President of Clark College in Vancouver, Washington

Clark College is a state-operated educational institution in Vancouver, Washington, with enrollments of nearly 10,000 students. African Americans are just 2 percent of the student body. The college recently announced a field of four finalists for president of the college. Two of the four candidates are Black women.

The First African American Woman Dean at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio

Alyncia Bowen was appointed dean of doctoral studies and the School of Nursing at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Bowen joined Franklin University 14 years ago. She has served as department chair, director of doctoral studies and director of the Global Center for Healthcare Education.

Activists From South Africa and the United States Unite to Fight Anti-Black Racism

The Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity has chosen its second cohort of Atlantic Fellows — 20 leaders from across South Africa and the United States who are working to end anti-Black racism in the two countries.

Two African American Women Appointed to Dean Positions

Taja-Nia Henderson has been named dean of the Graduate School at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Jeannine Dingus-Eason was named dean of education at Rhode Island College.

A Trio of African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions

Anthony A. Pittman was named dean of the School of Education at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Dominique Ayesha Robinson has been named dean of the Chapel at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and Damien Clement has been named acting dean of the Honors College at West Virginia University.

Berenecea Johnson Eanes Is the New Leader of York College of the City University of New York

Dr. Eanes has been serving as vice president for the Division of Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton. She has been on the staff at CalState, Fullerton for the past seven years.

A Quartet of African Americans Appointed to Positions as Deans

LaTonya Branham has been named dean of academic services at DePauw University and Suzanne Barbour is the new dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Orlando F. McMeans is a new agricultural dean at Southern University in Louisiana and Nicholas J. Hill is dean of the business school at Claflin University.

Andrea Jackson Is the New Dean of the Howard University College of Dentistry

Dr. Jackson has served as interim dean of the College of Dentistry since July 2018. Earlier, she was associate dean of clinical affairs and professor and chair of the department of prosthodontics. She has served on the Howard University faculty for the past 30 years.

Peggy Valentine Appointed to Lead Fayetteville State University in North Carolina

Dr. Valentine has been serving as dean of the School of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Her research focuses on homeless and minority health issues. Dr. Valentine is the founding editor-in-chief for the Journal of Best Practices in Health Professions Diversity.

Wanda Brown Takes Over as President of the American Library Association

Brown, the director of library services at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, is the first president of the American Library Association who is currently a librarian at a historically Black university. She is the sixth African American to hold the presidency of the ALA.

Three Black Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Positions as Deans

Akinlolu O. Ojo was named executive dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Robin Renee Davis will be dean of the Sydney Lewis School of Business at Virginia Union University and Linda Burton has been named dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley.

The New President of Mississippi Delta Community College

Dr. Tyrone Jackson has been serving as vice president of administrative services at the Utica campus of Hinds Community College. Previously, he was associate vice president for student services at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston.

Aldon Morris Elected President of the American Sociological Association

Aldon Morris, the Leon Forrest Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, was named the 112th president of the American Sociological Association. He will serve one year as president-elect and then become president of the organization in August 2020.

The First Black Master of a College at the University of Cambridge in England

Sonita Alleyne was recently appointed as master of Jesus College at the University of Cambridge in England. The title of master is the equivalent of dean in the United States. Alleyne will be the first woman and the first Black person to lead the college, which was established in 1496.

Three Black Scholars Appointed to Dean Posts at Colleges and Universities

The three new deans are Karen Richardson at Princeton University in New Jersey, Leslie Grinage at Barnard College in New York City, and Glenda M. Prime at Morgan State University in Baltimore.

Verna L. Williams Is the New Leader of the College of Law at the University of Cincinnati

Professor Williams joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2001. She has been serving as interim dean since May 2017. She also holds the title of Nippert Professor of Law.

Cheryl Green to Lead the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Dr. Cheryl Green has been serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Earlier, she was assistant vice president for student affairs at Tennessee State University in Nashville.

College Athletic Powerhouses Earn a Grade of D in Achieving Racial Equity in Leadership Posts

At the 130 colleges and universities that make up the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, in the fall of 2018 African Americans made up 3.8 percent of the presidents and 9.2 percent of the athletics directors.

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