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Dr. Bruce Palmer, new dean of the School of Human Sciences and Humanities, in his office.

Palmer designated new HSH dean
by Aaron Wright
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

The university has selected Dr. Bruce Palmer as dean of the School of Human Sciences and Humanities. Palmer will assume his new role Sept. 1.

"He's a full professor of history with a doctorate from Yale University," said Emily Sutter, who hasserved as interim dean for HSH until the position could be filled. "He has extensive experience with our shared governance system, having served in many capacities on several committees and been head of the Faculty Senate....[H]e coordinated the university's preparation for the SACS visit...but mostly he brings a talent for consensus building, an ability to see the 'big picture' needs of HSH and the university, and a reputation for integrity that is deeply respected by all who know him."

Although Palmer teaches history, he will not teach his first year as dean. He will spend his first year establishing focuses for the school and directing paths for implementation of those goals.

Palmer sees opportunities for improvement in HSH and will seek the approval of university administration to implement new ideas.

"We need a more diverse faculty with more cultural and racial diversity," said Palmer. "The student population is much more diverse than the faculty."

"I want to see development in writing, criminology, organizational psychology and more effort put into changing the hiring procedure," Palmer said.

Palmer also expressed the need for more formalized mentoring programs for faculty and staff, because the current system is very inconsistent.

"In five years I would like to see HSH grow with new programs with a significant impact in Web and associate technologies," Palmer said.

Sutter believes Palmer's goals are on target, adding that the biggest challenges facing higher education in Texas are "meeting needs of an increasingly diverse student population, judiciously moving academic programs into the age of the Internet and other technologies where appropriate, generating the data and reports increasingly required by government agencies and accreditation bodies, and responding to constant faculty/staff requirements for resources and development."

Palmer helped prepare the university for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' reaccreditation visit and is now working to help the university comply with SAC's 21 recommendations for improvements.