Fulbright College Anticipates Leadership Change

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Robin Roberts and Todd Shields

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Robin Roberts, dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, will step down effective August 1, 2013, and become a faculty member in the college’s department of English.

“I’ve enjoyed serving as dean of Fulbright College,” said Roberts. “It has been a busy and rewarding two years.”

During Roberts’ tenure, the college received an increase of more than $11 million to its hard budget from the university, raised more than $22 million from donors, hired an additional 21 new tenure-track faculty and eight new staff members, increased faculty diversity and added new joint appointments.

Roberts championed increases in instructor pay, graduate-student stipends and the number of graduate assistantships. She helped to redirect resources to assist faculty through funding for instructor supplies, a summer research and teaching stipend program, travel funds and financial support for grant proposals and awards. She also reinstituted the college’s external Advisory Council and expanded student advising from a two-year to a four-year system.

“I appreciate Dean Roberts for her service to the university over the past two years,” said Sharon L. Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “She took on several new initiatives during her tenure. I look forward to working with her as she transitions to the college’s faculty.”

Todd Shields, dean of the university’s Graduate School and International Education and professor of political science in Fulbright College, will serve as the interim dean while a national search is conducted to permanently fill the position.

“The college has made many strides under Dean Roberts’ leadership,” Shields said. “I share her commitment to excellence and am honored to help guide Fulbright College through this transition.”

“I appreciate Dr. Shields’ willingness to assume the leadership of Fulbright College on an interim basis,” Gaber stated. “Soon we will start the process through which we will identify a permanent dean for the college. Given Fulbright’s national reputation for excellence and achievement, I expect we will attract a large and extremely accomplished pool of candidates.”