New dean among appointments approved by SFA Board of Regents
April 15, 2015
Left to right: Dr. Timothy Bisping, Dr. Ray Darville
Bisping received his doctorate in economics from Oklahoma State University and his bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from Wichita State University. Prior to his appointment at Louisiana Tech University, Bisping served as associate dean of graduate programs and research and associate professor of economics at Louisiana Tech University.
Bisping also has served as the chair of the Department of Economics, Finance, Insurance and Risk Management for the University of Central Arkansas, as well as the director of institutional research and assistant professor of economics for Concordia University. He has served as a consultant and has 21 refereed articles in numerous academic journals.
Dr. Ray Darville, sociology, was named Regents Professor for the 2015-16 academic year. Regents also honored two long-term faculty members who have recently retired with the title professor emeritus: Ronald Anderson, music, and Heinz Gaylord, psychology.
The following SFA faculty members were granted tenure by the board: Timothy Bisping, economics and finance; Joey Bray, agriculture; David Cook, computer science; Ben Dixon, multidisciplinary programs; Paula Griffin, elementary education; Robert Henderson, mathematics; Janice Hensarling and Karen Migl, nursing; Lora Jacobi, psychology; Ginger Kelso, Frank Mullins and Terry Overton, human services; Stephen Mullin, biology; Jessica Sams, English; Paul Sandul, history; Jeremy Stovall and Yanli Zhang, forestry; and Todd Whitehead, kinesiology.
Regents approved the following faculty promotions:
To professor: Bea Clack and Donald Pratt, biology; Christopher Comer, forestry; David Cook, computer science; Sam Copeland, social work; Mitchell Crocker and Marlene Kahla, management, marketing and international business; Keith Hubbard, mathematics; Scott LaGraff, music; John McDermott, English; and Anne Smith and Owen Smith, multidisciplinary programs.
To associate professor: Joey Bray, agriculture; Ben Dixon, multidisciplinary programs; Mark Faries, Christina Sinclair and Todd Whitehead, kinesiology; Robert Henderson, mathematics; Janice Hensarling and Karen Migl, nursing; Lora Jacobi, psychology; Ginger Kelso, human services; Jorge Davi Salas, music; Jessica Sams, English; Paul Sandul, history; and Jeremy Stovall and Yanli Zhang, forestry.
Promotions from the Steen Library include Erica Chapman and Marlinda Karo, librarian II; Kyle Ainsworth, librarian III; and Susan Clarke and Linda Reynolds, librarian IV.
In addition, regents approved the following faculty appointments: James Ewing and Mark Montgomery, assistant professors of elementary education in the James I. Perkins College of Education; Daniel Anguiano, assistant professor of art in the College of Fine Arts; Stephen Mullin, professor and chair of biology in the College of Sciences and Mathematics; and in the College of Liberal and Applied Arts, Megan Condis, assistant professor of English; George Day, assistant professor of government; and Paulo Dutra, assistant professor or languages, cultures and communications.
Regents approved the appointment of Rachel Jumper as assistant director of university assessment and Michaelle Coker as equine supervisor for the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.
The following changes of status in the Perkins College of Education were approved: Adam Akerson, from assistant professor of elementary education to assistant professor and early childhood to grade 6 coordinator; Susan Casey, from assistant professor of elementary education to assistant professor and early childhood master of education coordinator; Erica Dillard, from lecturer of elementary education to lecturer and elementary education resource room director; Gloria Gresham, from professor of elementary education to professor and master of elementary education coordinator; Paula Griffin, from assistant professor of elementary education to assistant professor and early childhood to grade 6 online coordinator; Robert Patterson, from coordinator of human services to coordinator and student supervisor; Kimberly Welsh, from associate professor of elementary education to associate professor and reading specialist coordinator; Claudia Whitley, from associate professor of elementary education to associate professor and middle-level grades program coordinator; and Dawn Williams, from associate professor of elementary education to associate professor and middle-level grades online coordinator.
Other changes of status include: Tim King, from professor of music to professor and director of choral activities in the College of Fine Arts; John Wyatt, from senior human resources representative to senior human resources representative and team lead for training software implementation; and Amy Roquemore, from assistant director of University Marketing Communications to director of Student Publications and Divisional Media.
Lauren Selden of the School of Art and Troy Davis of the Department of History were granted faculty development leave for the fall 2015 semester. Faculty development leave for the spring 2016 semester was granted to Fred Allen, music; Court Carney, history; and Thomas Judson, mathematics. Leave of absence without pay for one academic year was approved for Dr. George Franks, government.
The Board of Regents approved the following retirements: Greta Haidinyak, associate professor of nursing; Carl Pfaffenberg, associate professor of human sciences; Marie Saracino, professor of human sciences; and Tom Segady, professor of social and cultural analysis.