University of Arkansas, Clinton School Name Shields to Interim Roles

University of Arkansas Provost Sharon Gaber and Clinton School of Public Service Dean Skip Rutherford are pleased to announce Todd Shields as the interim dean of the Graduate School and International Education at the university and the interim associate dean for academic affairs at the Clinton School of Public Service.

Shields is currently the director of the Blair Center for Southern Politics and Society and previously served as chair of the department of political science at the University of Arkansas from 2001 to 2008. He served as associate director of the Fulbright Institute of International Relations from 2000 to 2010, and from 2003 to 2006 he was co-principal investigator on a project to develop graduate degree programs in Tunisia.

“I am pleased that Dr. Shields has agreed to serve the UA System in both of these critical positions,” Gaber said. “His knowledge and experience as a successful administrator will be important in both of these academic units.”

At the Clinton School, Shields will coordinate a review of the academic curriculum as part of the school’s planning process and conduct a search for a new permanent associate dean.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Dr. Shields’ caliber serve as our interim associate dean,” Rutherford said. “His experience with the Blair Center and the Fulbright Institute are complementary to the Clinton School’s field-based curriculum and our service across the state, country and world.”

Shields will assume the positions on July 1 and searches for a permanent dean at the University of Arkansas and associate dean at the Clinton School will begin in the fall. He will spend time in both Fayetteville and Little Rock during this joint appointment.