Dear Faculty and Staff, I am pleased to share that John Quintanilla has been selected as the new dean of the College of Science. Dr. Quintanilla, who has served as interim dean since last June, will step into the role permanently, effective April 1. UNT’s hiring committees undertook a thorough search process to identify the individual best suited to guide the College of Science’s numerous departments, interdisciplinary programs, labs, centers and institutes, all of which are central to our... Read more
Dear UNT Faculty and Staff, It is my pleasure to announce that Albert Bimper has been selected as the new executive dean of UNT’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. He will join us July 1. Dr. Bimper is an experienced administrator and dedicated scholar-educator — a combination that will make him a tremendous asset to our largest and most eclectic college, and to our university community. His deep knowledge of the academy and collaborative approach will lend themselves well to the... Read more
Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 Greetings Colleagues, Welcome to a new year and a new semester! I hope the holiday time was both restful and restorative for you. The new semester is here, and it surely will be replete with both wonderful opportunities and vexing challenges. It is an exciting time at UNT and in higher education generally. It may be helpful if I share with you some of the discussions that we’ll be continuing in the coming months. I invite you to share with me and with your local... Read more
Friday, Jan. 20, 2023 Greetings Colleagues, Welcome to a new year and a new semester! I hope the holiday time was both restful and restorative for you. The new semester is here, and it surely will be replete with both wonderful opportunities and vexing challenges. It is an exciting time at UNT and in higher education generally. It may be helpful if I share with you some of the discussions that we’ll be continuing in the coming months. I invite you to share with me and with your local... Read more
Dear UNT Faculty and Staff, After serving as dean of New College since 2018, Wesley Randall has decided to resume his faculty position in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Wes has been a visionary leader as we worked to grow our student body and programs there, as well as helping to open Frisco Landing — our first building at the UNT at Frisco branch campus. We have come a very long way under Wes’s steady hand, and I thank him for the thoughtful and effective work he has done. Audhesh... Read more
Dear UNT Faculty and Staff, In August, the Office of the Provost hosted three candidates in open forums as part of our search for the next vice provost for student success. While we appreciated each candidate’s unique strengths, we did not feel any of them were the right fit for such an important role. Later this fall, we will restart the search with a robust hiring committee and a timeline that allows a wide range of qualified candidates to apply for the position. The vice provost for... Read more
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, Welcome back! I am sure you are as excited and energized as I am about this new academic year. There is nothing quite like the atmosphere on a university campus at the beginning of a new year. As exciting a time as this is for us all, it can be stressful for our newest students, staff, and faculty members. Please keep an eye out for these community members and help them find their ways (both literally and figuratively)! Much has happened since last year,... Read more
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, After careful consideration, I am honored to announce interim deans for the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. Shengli Fu, chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, will serve as interim dean of the College of Engineering after Dean Hanchen Huang’s departure on July 15. Dr. James Meernik, Regents Professor of political science and interim chair of the Department of Technical Communication, will serve as interim dean of... Read more
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, I am pleased to share with you that this past week, UNT was reaffirmed as an R1 university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education™. Not only have we been reaffirmed, but we also have made positive progress, meeting our goal of moving from the fourth quartile to the third quartile of R1 and solidifying our standing as an R1 university. This progress is only possible because of the successful implementation of our R1 Our Way plans... Read more
Dear Faculty and Academic Staff, Each start of the semester during the pandemic has been faced with a new challenge. Spring 2022 is no exception. With the changes in community health conditions, I must inform you of the health and safety protocols that changed since my December 10th letter. In the past month, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has become dominant in North Texas and we are experiencing very different effects from the virus. Omicron has a shorter incubation time, milder symptoms... Read more