Seven Women Appointed to Dean Positions

Lynda Coon was named dean of the Honors College at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She is a professor of history at the university and had taught in the Honors College for many years. Dr. Coon has been serving as associate dean of fine arts and humanities for the university’s College of Arts and Sciences and as director of the religious studies program.

Professor Coon joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas in 1990 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. She is a graduate of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and holds master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Virginia.

Jennifer S. Bard was selected as the next dean of the College of Law at the University of Cincinnati. When she takes office on July 1, Professor Bard will be the first woman dean in the 182-year history of the law school.

Dr. Bard is the Alvin R. Allison Professor of Law and special assistant to the provost at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. There, she is the director of the JD/MD program. Professor Bard is a graduate of Wellesley College in Massachusetts and Yale Law School. She holds a master of public health degree from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate in higher education from Texas Tech University.

Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina was named the next dean of the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is currently the Kathe Tappe Vernon Professor of Biography and chair of the department of African and African American studies at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. She will begin her new job on July 15.

Professor Gerzina is the author of several books including Mr. and Mrs. Prince: How an Extraordinary 18th-Century Family Moved Out of Slavery and Into Legend (Amistad, 2008) and Black London: Life Before Emancipation (Rutgers University Press, 1995). Dr. Gerzina is a graduate of Marlboro College in Vermont. She holds a master’s degree from Simmons College in Boston and a Ph.D. from Stanford University.

Susan Tornquist was named dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University in Corvallis. She has been serving in the post on an interim basis since October 2013. She is a professor of clinical pathology and before becoming interim dean, Dr. Tornquist served as associate dean of student and academic affairs.

Professor Tornquist has been on the faculty at Oregon State since 1996. She previously taught at Washington State University and the University of New Mexico. Dr. Tornquist holds a doctor of veterinary medicine degree Colorado State University and a Ph.D. in veterinary pathology from Washington State University.

Susan Weeks is the new dean of the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. She has been serving as acting dean since January 2014. Previously, Dr. Weeks was associate dean for nursing and health innovation and was director of the TCU Center for Evidence-Based Practice and Research.

Dr. Weeks joined the faculty at TCU’s Harris College in 1994. She is a graduate of William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, and holds a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and a doctor of nursing practice degree from Texas Christian University.

Caryn Beck-Dudley was named the next dean of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University in California. Currently, she is the dean of the College of Business at Florida State University. Earlier in her career, Dr. Beck-Dudley was dean and professor of management and human resources at the Utah State University College of Business. She will assume her new role on August 1.

Dr. Beck-Dudley is a magna cum laude graduate of Utah State University, where she majored in political science. She received a juris doctorate from the University of Idaho College of Law.

Beth Walker was appointed the next dean of College of Business at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Currently, she is a professor and chair of the marketing department at Arizona State University. When she begins her new duties on July 1, Dr. Walker will be the first woman to serve as dean of the business school.

Professor Walker has been on the faculty at Arizona State since 1988. A native of New Jersey, she is a graduate of Virginia Tech and holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.