Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions in Higher Education

The new deans are Daryl Joseph Moore at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Jeanie C. Lucy at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Racquel Ingram at High Point University in North Carolina, and Jonathan Miller at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick.

Paul Watson II Is the Seventh President of Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek,...

Dr. Watson has been serving as interim president since last April. Before being named interim president, Dr. Watson had been vice president for instruction at the community college since 2019. Before coming to Kellogg Community College, Dr. Watson served as director, assistant dean, and dean at the Pennsylvania College of Technology from 2011-2018.

Nicolle Parsons-Pollard Appointed Provost at Georgia State University in Atlanta

Since arriving at Georgia State in January 2020 as associate provost for faculty affairs, Dr. Parsons-Pollard has created, implemented, and championed a variety of faculty development programs to support and strengthen faculty in teaching and research, as well as leadership programming for department chairs and other administrators.

Two African Americans Appointed Provosts at Historically Black State Universities

Frederick Evans was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at South Carolina State University and Dimetri Horner is the new provost and vice president of academic affairs at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis.

Danielle Holley Will Be the Twentieth President of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts

In 2014, President-elect Holley was named dean and a professor of law at the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. Previously she was associate dean and a professor of law at the University of South Carolina Law School. Earlier in her career, she taught at the Hofstra University School of Law in New York.

Ruth Simmons Is Resigning Her Presidency of Prairie View A&M University Three Months Early

Last spring Ruth Simmons, president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, announced that she planned to retire on June 1, 2023. Now Dr. Simmons has said she will step down from her post at the end of February.

Patrick Wade Named President of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Murfreesboro

Patrick Wade has been serving as vice president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville, where he has worked since 2012. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance from Tennessee Technological University and a master's degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University.

Dale G. Caldwell Will Be the First Black President of Centennary University in New...

Dr. Caldwell is currently executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey, as well as president of the board of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey. He also serves as chair of the Board of Education for the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Three African Americans Who Have Been Names to Dean Positions

Alma B. Littles is the new interim dean of the College of Medicine at Florida State University. Cameron Rashad Thomas has been named dean of the chapel at Talladega College in Alabama and Ja’Wanda Grant was appointed dean of students at Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee.

The New Leader of Prairie View A&M University in Texas

Michael L. McFrazier, dean of Prairie View A&M University’s College of Education was named acting president of the university. His tenure will be a short one. Dr. McFrazier will serve as acting president for three months until Tomikia P. LeGrande, the current vice provost for strategic enrollment management at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, will become president on June 1.

Harvey Fields Will Be the Inaugural Dean of the College of STEM at Harris-Stowe...

Historically Black Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis has announced the creation of a new academic college focused on science, technology, engineering, and math. Harvey R. Fields, Jr., who has been serving as the associate dean for student success at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named dean of the College of STEM.

Aondover Tarhule is the New Leader of Illinois State University

Dr. Tarhule joined Illinois State University as vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2020. His immediate prior administrative appointment was vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at Binghamton University of the State University of New York System. Earlier, he served on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma.

Janelle Scott to Serve as President of the American Educational Research Association

Janelle Scott is a professor and the Birgeneau Distinguished Chair in Educational Disparities in the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Scott joins the AERA Council in 2023–2024 as president-elect. Her presidency begins at the conclusion of the association’s 2024 annual meeting.

Todd Clark Appointed Dean of Delaware Law School at Widener University

Clark is currently serving as senior associate dean of academic affairs and a tenured law professor at St. Thomas University College of Law in Miami Gardens, Florida. He will become dean of the Delaware Law School on July 1.

Garry W. Jenkins Will Be the First Black President of Bates College in Lewiston,...

Since 2016, Jenkins has been dean and the William S. Pattee Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. Prior to joining the Minnesota Law School Jenkins was a professor of law at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law for 12 years, including eight years as associate dean for academic affairs.

A Change in Leadership at Jackson State University in Mississippi

The board of trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi has placed Thomas Hudson, president of Jackson State University, on administrative leave with pay, effective immediately. No reason was given for the decision to relieve Hudson of his duties. Elayne Hayes-Anthony, a professor of journalism and media studies was named acting president.

Dale G. Caldwell Will Be the First Black President of Centennary University in New...

Dr. Caldwell is currently executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey, as well as president of the board of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey. He also serves as chair of the Board of Education for the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Three African American Women Who Were Appointed Deans

Neporcha Cone was appointed to serve as dean of the College of Education at Middle Tennessee State University. Letitia Williams has been named associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Morgan State University in Baltimore and Mary Hill is the new dean of students at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina.

Edward Thomas Appointed Dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Auburn University

Dr. Thomas has been serving as interim dean since 2021. He is the first dean of the college that also holds a doctorate from Auburn University.

Ruth Simmons to Take on New Role as Senior Adviser to the President of...

Ruth Simmons, who recently stepped down as president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, will advise the president of Harvard on efforts to support the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery. Her work will focus on engaging in meaningful and enduring partnerships with the nation’s HBCUs.

Sean Edmund Rogers Named Dean of the College of Business at the University of...

Currently, Dr. Rogers serves as vice president for community, equity, and diversity at the University of Rhode Island. He also holds two faculty appointments — professor of management and the Spachman Professor of Human Resources and Labor Relations. Dr. Rogers joined the university's faculty in 2018.

Three African Americans Appointed to Dean Positions

Albert Bimper was appointed executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of North Texas. Ruth A. Hodges has been named dean of the library and information services at South Carolina State University and Justin R. Smith was appointed dean of students at Goucher College in Baltimore.

Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman to Lead the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Dr. Gyamfi-Bannerman specializes in obstetric complications with a primary focus on preterm birth prevention. She became chair of the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the medical school in 2021. She holds the Samuel SC Yen Endowed Chair. Earlier, she was a professor at Columbia University in New York City.

Dennis Rome Chosen to Lead Indiana University East in Richmond

Dr. Rome currently serves as assistant to the president for community engagement and strategic partnerships at Northeastern Illinois University. Earlier, served as dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at Columbus State University in Georgia and as associate provost and associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Kara Freeman to Lead the National Association of College and University Business Officers

When she takes office on June 1, Freeman will be the first African American woman to lead the organization. Freeman has been serving as the senior vice president and chief operating officer at the American Council of Education. She has worked there since 2006.

Willie May Named President-Elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Since 2018, Dr. May has served as vice president of research and economic development and professor of chemistry at Morgan State University in Baltimore. Previously, he served as the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Aubra Gantt Appointed Chancellor of Southern University Shreveport

Dr. Gantt currently serves as a clinician at various hospitals in Phoenix, Arizona. She began her professional educational career at Southern University Shreveport as an educational counselor. She later served as dean of enrollment management at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona and vice president for academic outreach and student success at the Tarrant County College campus in Fort Worth, Texas.

Four African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions

Yolanda Pierce was appointed dean of the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University and John W. Miller Jr. will be the next dean of the School of Social Work and Family Science at the University of Louisville. Kristina K. Bethea Odejimi was named dean of students at Emory University and Kelechi C. Ogbonna is the new dean of the School of Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Alec Gallimore Will Be the Next Provost at Duke University

Since 2016, he has been the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. He previously served the college as associate dean for research and graduate education and associate dean for academic affairs. Dr. Gallimore founded and directs the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory at the University of Michigan

Calvin White Jr. Appointed Provost at Arkansas State University

Currently, Dr. White is the associate dean of humanities in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He joined the University of Arkansas in 2007 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2013.

Three African Americans Appointed to Dean Positions

Albert Bimper was appointed executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of North Texas. Ruth A. Hodges has been named dean of the library and information services at South Carolina State University and Justin R. Smith was appointed dean of students at Goucher College in Baltimore.

Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions

Newly appointed to dean positions are Gregory E. Triplett Jr. in the School of Science and Engineering at Saint Louis University, Denise Taliaferro Baszile in the College of Education at Wayne State University in Detroit, Viola L. Acoff for the University of Mississippi School of Engineering, and Leon Geter for the School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences at Benedict College in South Carolina.

Anita Thomas Will Be the First African American President of North Central College in...

Dr. Thomas is currently the executive vice president and provost at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Prior to arriving at St. Catherine University in 2019, she was the founding dean of the College of Applied Behavioral Sciences at the University of Indianapolis. Earlier in her career, Dr. Thomas taught counseling psychology and school counseling at Loyola University Chicago.

Xavier Cole Selected as the First African American President of Loyola University New Orleans

Dr. Cole has been serving as vice president for student affairs at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Before joining the staff at Marquette in 2016 he was vice president for student affairs at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Earlier, he was assistant vice president for student development at Loyola University of Maryland.

Eric Turner Will Be the First Black President of Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts

Turner was named Lasell’s provost in June 2020 after serving as the institution’s vice president of graduate and professional studies. Earlier in his career, he was a senior vice president at State Street Corporation, a financial services firm based in Boston.

Carl Goodman Selected as the Next Provost at Texas Southern University

For the past three years, Dr. Goodman served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Bowie State University in Maryland. Earlier, he was associate provost for academic affairs and student services at Florida A&M University.

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