Eight Women Named Dean at U.S. Colleges and Universities

Deirdre Yates was named interim dean of the new College of Communication and the Arts at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. She is a professor of communication at the university. Professor Yates joined the Seton Hall faculty in 1997.

Professor Yates is a graduate of the University of California. She holds a master of fine arts degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and received further training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

Lori Phillips was appointed interim dean of the University of Wyoming Libraries. She has been associate dean since 2003 and has been on the library staff at the university since 1992. She will serve as dean through the 2015-16 academic year.

Phillips is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, where she majored in history. She holds a master of library and information science degree from the University of Arizona.

Jill Robbins was named the next dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts at the University of California, Merced. She will become dean on January 1. Since 2010 she has chaired the department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Robbins is a graduate of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where she double majored in Spanish and economics. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Spanish literature from the University of Kansas.

Maura E. Hagan was named dean of the College of Science at Utah State University. Since 2013, Dr. Hagan has been serving as interim director of National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. She has been on the staff at the center since 1992.

Dr. Hagan is a graduate of Emmanuel College in Boston. She earned a Ph.D. in physics from Boston College.

Nancy P. Kropf has been promoted to dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She has been serving as associate dean for research in the university’s School of Policy Studies. Dr. Kropf joined the faculty at Georgia State in 2006 and a professor in the School of Social Work.

Dr. Kropf is a graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where she majored in sociology and psychology. She earned a master of social work degree at Michigan State University and a doctoral degree in social work and social policy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Debra Spring is the new dean of nursing at Alcorn State University in Mississippi. She was the assistant dean of nursing at Hinds Community College in Jackson, Mississippi.

Dr. Spring holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a doctorate in nursing education and administration, all from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Pamela Jackson will serve as interim dean of the School of Business and Economics at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. She has been serving as assistant and then associate dean for the past eight years.

Dr. Jackson is a graduate of Albion College in Michigan. She holds a master of public administration degree from Troy University in Alabama, an MBA from Fayetteville State University, and a Ph.D. in management information systems from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Pamela J. DeWeese was appointed interim academic dean and vice president for academic affairs at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She is a professor of modern languages and literatures at the college.

Professor DeWeese is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.