University of North Texas 
August 28, 2024
The College of Liberal Arts & Socials Sciences at the University of North Texas is proud to announce the appointment of new leadership within its academic divisions. Executive Dean Dr. Albert Bimper has appointed Drs. Lisa Henry, Jennifer Wallach, and Steve Cobb as Divisional Deans for the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Communication, Media & Performance, respectively. Each of their appointments will officially begin on January 1, 2025.
Divisional Dean of Social Sciences: Dr. Lisa Henry
Dr. Lisa Henry, newly appointed Dean of Social Sciences, brings over 23 years of experience at UNT. Dr. Henry is set to enhance the division's focus on academic programs, faculty, and students within the social sciences division. "I am committed to leading an academic environment that inspires, collaborates, and strives for excellence in research and education. I embrace an approach that creates space where every voice is heard, where every idea is valued, and where we work together to build a division known for its impact on the world," said Dr. Henry. "Leadership is about listening, learning, and leading by example. Together, we will strive to innovate our academic programs, increase opportunities for interdisciplinary research, and to strengthen our partnerships both within and beyond the college."
Divisional Dean of Humanities: Dr. Jennifer Wallach
Dr. Jennifer Wallach, who has served at UNT for 15 years, will soon take on the role of Divisional Dean of Humanities. She brings a strong background of leadership to the position, having served as Chair of the Department of History for the past 5 years. She is widely recognized as a strong and capable leader to drive forward the division's strategic objectives. "One of the most inspiring opportunities I have had as the chair of a large academic unit is to familiarize myself more deeply with the interests and talents of the faculty and students in my area. I look forward to similarly learning more about the accomplishments and aspirations of faculty and students throughout the division and using that exposure to facilitate deeper collaboration and intellectual cross-fertilization across disciplines. As I take on this position, I do so with the focus of working to better communicate and publicize the excellent work we are already doing, while also exploring possibilities for new initiatives, more innovation, and deeper cooperation across the division, the college, and the university," said Dr. Wallach.
Divisional Dean of Communication, Media and Performance: Dr. Steve Cobb
Dr. Steve Cobb has been named Dean of Communication, Media & Performance. Dr. Cobb is extremely excited by his new role in CLASS. He will focus on developing an approach that will increase the opportunities for the students to get direct experience in their field prior to graduation. As part of this transition, he looks forward to developing greater integrations across our student media platforms to create more opportunities for students to be directly engaged in the creation and production of media content. He will also be actively seeking industry partnerships to continue efforts to further enhance the value of our students' degrees and create more internships and other opportunities allowing them to develop and display their skill sets. In a world that is becoming exponentially more interdisciplinary, Cobb sees exciting opportunities for greater collaboration across programs in Communication, Media & Performance division and is confident that our students will directly benefit from these new collaborations.
CLASS's Executive Dean, Dr. Albert Bimper, expressed enthusiasm for the new appointments, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome such esteemed and dedicated leaders into these critical roles that will help elevate the impact and excellence of the college. Their collective experience, expertise and visionary leadership align perfectly with our mission to provide unparalleled educational experiences and to accomplish our strategic initiatives."