College Names Assistant Dean for Health Professions

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Fran Hagstrom

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The College of Education and Health Professions has created the new position of assistant dean for health professions that will be filled by Fran Hagstrom, an associate professor of communication disorders.

Tom Smith, dean of the college, appointed Hagstrom to the position, effective Aug. 19. She will provide administrative support for accreditation and curriculum matters as well as other academic aspects in the health-related programs of the college.

“We believe this new dean position will be very important in the continuing growth and high quality of our programs that focus on the health professions,” Smith said. “Dr. Hagstrom is a proven leader who is excited about working with all of our units related to health professions.”

Hagstrom has served as head of the rehabilitation, human resources and communication disorders department since August of 2010 after serving one year as interim department head. She has served as coordinator of the communication disorders program in the past and also mentors honors students.

She joined the faculty of the College of Education and Health Professions in 2002. She earned a doctorate in developmental psychology from Clark University and master’s degrees in language sciences from the University of Texas Health Science Center and in speech from St. Louis University.

Hagstrom has had extensive experience with interdisciplinary health programs including her work with other faculty from the College of Education and Health Professions and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences to develop a study abroad honors course. Health Teams Abroad-Sweden, which is now in its seventh year, has included students from all colleges at the university who seek to enter health-related professions.

Existing deans in the college are the assistant dean for academic affairs, a position held by Janet Penner-Williams; the associate dean for academic affairs, a position held by Michael T. Miller; and the assistant dean for administration, a position held by Craig Edmonston. Penner-Williams has been providing administrative support for accreditation and curriculum matters for all academic programs in the college but beginning in the fall will focus on the education programs in the college. The college works with eight accrediting bodies.

The College of Education and Health Professions enrolled 3,560 undergraduate students and 1,198 graduate students for the 2012-13 academic year. It is the second-largest college on campus in terms of overall enrollment and has the most graduate students. Several of the university’s most popular majors, by enrollment, are in the college, including nursing and kinesiology. Nursing and pre-nursing reported 1,090 students in the fall, and kinesiology reported 880 students.