The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) at the University of North Texas (UNT) is delighted to announce the appointment of several new department chairs who stepped into new leadership roles with the start of the new academic year. These distinguished scholars and dedicated educators bring a wealth of experience, innovative perspectives, and a passion for fostering academic excellence. Their leadership will contribute to elevating the college's mission to Amplify Human Potential to Propel Transformation that deepens our understandings of the human experience.

Introducing Fresh Perspectives

New department chairs bring diverse experiences and fresh perspectives that can invigorate the college's academic programs. They will have the opportunity to facilitate intentional discussions that might lead to an injection of improved or even new teaching pedagogies, research initiatives, and new partnerships with their units. Embracing the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit within these leadership roles offers tremendous opportunities to enhance both CLASS's and UNT's reputation to attract elite talent.

Enhancing Leadership and Management

Effective leadership is critical for the success of any department. New chairs often come with refined leadership skills and management strategies that can improve organizational design-thinking and the operations to match. By welcoming and supporting these leaders, the college looks to continue supporting departments with a strategic growth-mindset that is mission-aligned with CLASS.

Thoughts From Our New Leaders

Dr. Pinliang Dong - Department chair of Geography

Q: What role do you see alumni playing in the department, and how will you engage them in ongoing initiatives?

A: "Alumni can play a vital role in the department by contributing their expertise, resources, and networks to enhance the academic and professional experiences of current students and faculty. I would invite alumni as guest speakers, advisory board members, and internship advisors. The department will continue to recognize and celebrate alumni achievements through spotlight features in newsletters and annual alumni awards."

Dr. Doug Henry - Department chair of Anthropology

Q: What strategies will you implement to foster collaboration among faculty members within and across departments?

A: "In Anthropology, I'm fortunate to work with very committed colleagues, who are supportive of a collective culture. Our faculty meetings sometimes function as a collective "debrief" into the monthly accomplishments and struggles that we all face. We also have a twice-a-year informal collegial gathering where we support each other's work."

Dr. Gabe Ignatow - Department chair of Spanish

Q: In what ways can the department strengthen its connections with the broader academic and local communities?

A: "The Department of Spanish is building out our internship program to help connect our students to job opportunities for Spanish speakers in the DFW metroplex4," said Dr. Ignatow. "Working with the Career Center, we are developing a dedicated internship course that will feature in several new undergraduate certificates, including certificates in Spanish for Social Services and Spanish for Tourism and Hospitality."

Dr. Matthew Painter - Department chair of Sociology

Q: How will you encourage innovative practices that bring people together to solve problems and drive the department forward?

A: "This is an exciting year for UNT Sociology," mentioned Dr. Painter. One reason is that Sociology has newly appointed faculty members to the positions of Graduate and Undergraduate Director. This provides an opportunity for fresh insights and new practices. The three of us are poised to identify opportunities for the department to improve upon our already strong programs and then enact change to serve our students in even better ways.

Dr. Jeff Rous - Department chair of Economics

Q: How do you plan to create meaningful connections between faculty and students to enhance the learning experience?

A: "We just had a departmental event called "Priming the Pump". All economics faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students seeking either an economics major or minor were invited. At the event, everyone shook hands (or fist bumped) with everyone else and then we all ate pizza together. About 70 people attended. Building community at a university of 45,000 students isn't easy, but we are trying. In my opinion and experience, anything that builds and strengthens relationships between classmates and instructors will enhance the learning experience."

Dr. Jim Mueller - Interim Dean of Mayborn School of Journalism

Q: In what ways can the department strengthen its connections with the broader academic and local communities?

A: "Media Arts Chair Harry Benshoff and I have discussed cross listing some of our classes to give our broadcast students more opportunities to learn skills. This is a good example of what we can do. Journalism has a lot in common with many other disciplines like history and political science in addition to our natural partners in the CLASS communication division. I think we can increase opportunities for students through things like cross listing course and developing courses with professors in other units that could be shared or co-taught."

Dr. Steve Wolverton - Interim chair of Department of Dance & Theatre

Q: What are you looking forward to most stepping into this role?

A: "I am enjoying working with a very engaged, student-centered faculty in Dance and Theatre, who combine curriculum with performance productions. We are looking forward to our fall theatre productions: Bus Stop (Oct 3 to 6) and Anatomies (Oct 31 to Nov 3) and our Fall Dance Concert (Nov 21 to 23). We hope to see you there!"

A Bright Future for CLASS at UNT

The appointment of these accomplished educators marks a new chapter for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at UNT. Their leadership and vision will undoubtedly inspire excellence and innovation, enhancing the college's reputation as a hub of intellectual and cultural activity. We are excited to support their endeavors and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our academic community.

With these new leaders, the future of CLASS at UNT looks exceptionally promising, and we anticipate a period of growth, discovery, and enhanced academic collaboration.

Written by: Molly Davenport, CLASS Senior Communications Specialist