Long-term college dean Nichols named associate provost
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Brenda Nichols has been named associate provost, James Marquart, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lamar University announced today.
“I have asked Brenda to move into this new position to provide her leadership in the areas of program review and to provide solutions to the challenges in our health-related curriculums,” Marquart said. “I am very grateful that she has agreed to this new role.”
Nichols earned associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and a master’s degree in education from the University of Evansville. She completed her doctoral degree at Indiana University. Her areas of expertise include nursing administration, research and international health care. She has published in a number of journals that center upon patient care and nursing administration. Nichols joined Lamar University as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of nursing in 2001, making her the longest tenured dean among the university’s six colleges.
Joe Nordgren will assume the role of interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences beginning Nov. 1. Nordgren has served as associate dean of the college for seven years. “His familiarity with the college and demonstrated leadership make him an ideal choice as interim dean during this transition,” Marquart said.
Nordgren earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and master’s and doctorate degrees from Florida State University. His areas of interest include both modern British and modern European literature, and he has published widely about writers such T. S. Eliot, Albert Camus and Tom Stoppard. Nordgren joined the faculty of Department of English and Modern Languages in 1991, and, after serving as department chair from 2006 to 2009, he assumed his current duties as associate dean in spring 2009.
Once faculty reconvenes for the Spring 2016 semester, Marquart will appoint a committee to provide recommendations on the appointment of the next dean for the college.
