Texas Tech University System Chancellor Brandon Creighton implemented new restrictions regarding how faculty can discuss race, gender, and sexual orientation in the classroom. Now regional and national faculty organizations are suing Creighton for racial discrimination and for violating professors' free speech.

The five women named to the rank of Distinguished Professor are Colette Daiutei n psychology, Cindi Katz in Earth and environmental sciences, Jill Bargonetti-Chavarria in biological sciences, Ramona Hernández in sociology, and Núria Rodríguez-Planas in economics.

Dr. Newkirk was the first faculty member of color in the College of Home Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where served as chair of the department of home economics education for 20 years. Dr. Newkirk was also the first African American elected president of the American Home Economics Association.

The appointments are Lerna Ekmekcioglu at MIT, Daniela Arias-Rotondo at Kalamazoo College, Amanda Deliman at Utah State University, Kristen Marceau at Purdue University, Nell Gabiam at Iowa State University, Danielle Battisti at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Elizabeth J.A. Siwo-Okundi at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Taryn Okuma at the Catholic University of America, and Jennifer Ellis at Cameron University.

Throughout her career, Dr. Borowczak has conducted extensive research on integrated STEM education, often focusing on how engineering, technology, and math can be woven into the classroom at all levels and across subjects. She currently serves as director of the School of Teacher Education at the University of Central Florida.

The new deans are Kyaien Conner at the University of Pittsburgh, Rosilie Hernández at the University of Illinois Chicago, Robin Hojnoski at Lehigh University, Jamie Newman at Louisiana Tech University, Donna Nicol at California State University Long Beach, Julie Amador at the University of Idaho, Li-Chiou Chen at Pace University, and Lynn Mayer at the Catholic University of America.

Dr. Gottschalk's award-winning book examines how concentrated economic and political power in the United States has fostered forms of violence stemming from C-suite corporate executives.

Here is this week’s roundup of women who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@WIAReport.com.

Dr. Handy, a Washington State University faculty member for more than three decades, recently received the 2026 American Association of Family and Consumer Science Distinguished Service Award in honor of her outstanding contributions to the field.

The appointments are Laura Mamo at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, Janette H. Ok at Fuller Theological Seminary in California, and Shubhra Pasayat at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

On average, women biologists in tenure-track and tenure faculty roles at R1 institutions publish less per year than their male colleagues. Women also receive fewer citations, even after controlling for their overall lower publication volume.

Most recently, Dr. Granger was a clinical associate professor of organizational behavior at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.