Regents Roundup

By Laura Lessnau / News and Information Services

Editor's Note: The following actions were taken by the Board of Regents at the September meeting:

Tenure appointments
Stephen L. DesJardins, associate professor of education, School of Education, effective Sept. 1.

Mark C. Elliott, associate professor of history, LS&A, effective Sept. 1.

James Douglas Engel, professor of cell and developmental biology, and chair, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical School, effective Sept.1.

Jan Ching-Chun Hu, associate professor of dentistry, School of Dentistry, effective Sept. 1.

Jay L. Lemke, professor of education, School of Education, effective Sept. 1.
Lisa A. Newman, associate professor of surgery, Medical School, effective Sept. 1.

Albert J. Shih, associate professor of mechanical engineering, College of Engineering, effective Jan. 1.

James P. Simmer, associate professor of dentistry, School of Dentistry, effective Sept.1.

John R. Traynor, associate professor of pharmacology, Medical School, effective Oct. 1.

Endowed named professorships
Faculty appointments to endowed and titled professorships approved by the regents include:

Richard Abel, Robert Altman Collegiate Professor of Film Studies, LS&A, effective Sept. 1.

Daniel C. Fisher, Claude W. Hibbard Collegiate Professor of Paleontology, LS&A, effective Sept. 1.

Stephen P. Either, Ruth Tuttle Freeman Research Professor of Radiation Oncology, Medical School, effective Sept. 1.

James Douglas Engel, G. Carl Huber Professor of Developmental Biology, Medical School, effective Sept. 20.

Rodney C. Ewing, William Kerr Collegiate Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, effective Sept. 1.

Alex Potts, Max Loehr Collegiate Professor of the History of Art, LS&A, effective Sept. 1.

Nils G. Walter, Dow Corning Assistant Professor of Chemistry, LS&A, effective Sept.1.

Administrative appointments
Administrative appointments approved by the regents include:
Lazar J. Greenfield, interim executive vice president for medical affairs, Medical School, effective Aug.19.

Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, associate dean of students, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, effective Aug. 19.

Edward M. Willis, dean of students, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, effective Aug. 26.

Retirements
Five faculty members were given the emeritus title. Those retiring are:

Duane F. Alwin, professor of sociology; Peter R. Gluck, professor of political science; Patricia Y. Gurin, professor of psychology and women's studies;
Surender K. Nanda, professor of dentistry; and Victor J. Streeter, associate professor of management information systems.

Alwin joined the faculty in 1979. He was a professor of sociology in LS&A and senior research scientist in the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. "Professor Alwin is known for his methodological rigor, inventiveness and wide-ranging intellectual interests," the regents said. He has authored or co-authored two books and more than 100 articles and book chapters. He was awarded a Fulbright Research Fellowship in 1995 and a Fulbright Lectureship in 1996.

Gluck joined the University's Flint faculty in 1972. He served in many leadership roles during his tenure, including director of the Metropolitan Research Consortium, acting provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, director of strategic planning and chair of the department of political science. "He has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to high standards of public policy and policy implementation through his teaching, research, scholarly conversations and work in the community, especially in urban areas," the regents said.

Gurin joined the faculty in 1966. She has served as interim dean of LS&A and chair of the Department of Psychology. "Professor Gurin's scholarship has played a crucial role in defining and developing several important fields of inquiry within psychology and at the intersection of psychology, women's studies and ethnic studies," the regents said. Her development of a theoretical rationale for the educational benefits of diversity, and empirical analysis supporting this rationale, played a pivotal role in the University's legal defense of its admissions policy.

Nanda joined the faculty in 1974. "Dr. Nanda was an active participant in teaching and clinical activity in the specialty of orthodontics," the regents said. During his time at the University, he served as interim chair of the Department of Orthodontics and as clinic director. He created three teaching manuals, published several journal articles related to craniofacial growth and two textbooks, and presented several invited lectures during his tenure.

Streeter joined the Dearborn faculty in 1964. He "played a pivotal role in the growth and develoment of the School of Management," the regents said. He served as the first director of computing services for the Dearborn campus and chair of the Department of Information Systems, Decision Sciences and Operations Management.