University of North Texas 
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nancy Stockdale as the new Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, effective January 1, 2025. She replaces Dr. Jean Schaake who will retire at the end of the fall 2024 semester to conclude an exemplary career of over 50 years at the University of North Texas.
In this role, Dr. Stockdale will oversee the development and implementation of academic policies, support faculty in advancing innovative teaching practices, and ensure the continuous enhancement of the student academic experience. As a member of the CLASS executive leadership team, she will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with department chairs, faculty, and staff to further the college’s mission-driven culture to Amplify Human Potential to Propel Transformation.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Nancy Stockdale into this critically important leadership role for the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences,” said Dr. Albert Bimper, executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. “With an overflowing passion for student success and an interdisciplinary education that prepares students for successful careers and making meaningful impact in their communities, Dr. Stockdale will bring her successful administrative experience and thoughtfully collaborative approach to lead our award-winning academic affairs team in this next era of excellence.”
Dr. Stockdale joined UNT’s department of history in 2006 and has served as the director of the CLASS’s International Studies Program since 2021. Most recently, Dr. Stockdale served as an associate professor of history and has won several accolades for teaching including earning the title of University Distinguished Teaching Professor and winning the President's Council Teaching Award. She has also been recognized as a Fellow of the Texas Academic Leadership Academy, sponsored by the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers, and is a UNT Provost’s Leadership Fellow alumna.
"I am deeply honored to be stepping into the position of Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for UNT's largest and most disciplinarily diverse college,” said Dr. Stockdale. “CLASS is the home of curriculums that inspire not only our majors and minors, but students from throughout the university. I am so excited about this opportunity to work with this phenomenal academic affairs team, nourishing and growing our offerings in ways that serve our students' hunger for knowledge and career paths! It is through this work that we can fulfill CLASS's commitment to amplify human potential to propel transformation."
Dr. Stockdale holds a Ph.D. in History from University of California, Santa Barbara, a M.A. in Modern European and Middle Eastern History from University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as a B.A. in History from California State University, Chico. She has published extensively on histories of the Modern Middle East, with particular emphasis on representations of modern Palestine and the impact of British imperialism on women's lives in the region.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Nancy Stockdale as the next Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in CLASS. We are excited to benefit from her expertise and vision as we continue to strengthen our academic programs and serve our students, faculty, and broader community.
Written by: Molly Davenport, CLASS Senior Communications Specialist