College of HASS Dean Named at Utah State University

Yolanda Flores Niemann is the new dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Utah State University. Flores Niemann was named to the college’s top position following a national search.

The new dean earned her doctorate at the University of Houston in 1992. She comes to USU from Washington State University where she was a special assistant for accreditation and distance education to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts. She had been at WSU since 1996, previously serving as chair of the Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies, director of Latino outreach for the university and assistant to the provost overseeing outreach and faculty affairs.

 

During the academic year 2006-07, Flores Niemann was an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow at The Pennsylvania State University working with President Graham Spanier.

 

“I congratulate the search committee on its hard work in identifying an outstanding set of finalists,” USU President Stan Albrecht said. “The committee did an excellent job, and I am pleased with the strong, campus-wide support that has been expressed for Dr. Flores Niemann. I look forward to working with her. She is an excellent addition to the college and Utah State University, and I welcome her to campus.”

 

College of Science Dean Mary Hubbard chaired the search and screening committee.

 

“The energy and enthusiasm that Yolanda Flores Niemann brings to campus will be an inspiration to all who work with her,” Hubbard said. “I anticipate good things for the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and new collaborations across campus.”

 

During the interview process, Flores Niemann met with college faculty, staff, students and university administrators.

 

“I was impressed with the college and its faculty during my visit,” Flores Niemann said. “The faculty is energetic, forward-looking and impressively accomplished. They were also very friendly and welcoming. I look forward to working with them.”

 

“In Dr. Flores Niemann, the search and screening committee is fortunate to have found a highly experienced academic professional with a broad intellectual background,” said committee member professor J.P. Spicer-Escalante. “She will undoubtedly invigorate the multidisciplinary profile of our college — one of our noteworthy strengths — which is a must when considering the intellectual crossroads at which the college currently finds itself in relation to the continued relevance of traditional forms of knowledge and the growth of USU’s other colleges and professional schools in a globalized age.”

 

Flores Niemann has authored three books, edited two special issues of journals and published numerous journal articles and book chapters. She was the principal investigator of a $14 million award from the U.S. Department of Education for an innovative public school intervention program designed to prepare middle and high school students for success in higher education. The success of the first grant led to the funding of a second $12 million grant (on which she served as co-principal investigator). At present, the program serves approximately 10,000 students in 29 schools in central and eastern Washington State.

 

As the principal investigator, or leader, of a large, community-based intervention grant, Flores Niemann also became comfortable in the fundraising arena. She was responsible for successfully obtaining substantial matching funds for the grant. She also feels comfortable with the multiple roles she will assume as dean.

 

“I believe firmly in the land-grant mission of serving the community,” she said. “The land-grant mission works hand-in-hand with the college and its mission.”

 

Members of the search and screen committee were impressed with Flores Niemann’s background and credentials.

 

“Dr. Flores Niemann brings a wide range of assets to the college,” said committee member and Political Science Department head Roberta Herzberg. “Her experience leading multidisciplinary units, her extraordinary development experience at Washington State University and her proven record of leadership are among the factors that made her a top committee choice. I am very excited that she will be joining us to lead our college.”

 

“We are thrilled that Dr. Flores Niemann has accepted the offer to join our academic executive leadership team,” said Raymond T. Coward, USU’s executive vice president and provost. “She is an experienced scholar who brings many talents to her new responsibilities as dean of this important and valued college. I look forward to her arrival on campus and the opportunity to work with her to build an even stronger College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and an even-more-renowned Caine School of the Arts.”

 

Flores Niemann joins the college July 1.

 

 

Contact: Provost’s office (435) 797-1166
Writer: Patrick Williams (435) 797-1354