FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- Donald R. Bobbitt, professor of chemistry and interim dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, has been named dean, effective immediately.

Bobbitt had been serving as interim dean since July 1, 2002, succeeding Randall J. Woods, who resigned. At the time of his appointment as interim dean, Bobbitt had been serving the college as associate dean of research since September 2000.

"We are delighted that Don Bobbitt has accepted our offer to serve in this key position," said UA Chancellor John A. White. "Over the last year, Dean Bobbitt has done an exemplary job of leading the Fulbright College in accordance with our vision of the University of Arkansas as a nationally competitive, student-centered research university. He has gained the confidence of Fulbright College faculty and students as well as that of the University leadership, and we look forward to a very bright future."

Bobbitt will have a base annual salary of $150,000. It will be supplemented by a stipend of $15,000 to support his continuing leadership as campus director and associate director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, a consortium of higher education and health care institutions dedicated to advancing the biological sciences and biotechnology sector across the state.

"Don is ideally suited to lead the Fulbright College," said Bob Smith, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs (to whom all academic deans report). "His research, teaching, and administrative record is outstanding. In addition to the extraordinary support he has received from the Fulbright College, many noted professionals among the University’s constituencies have volunteered their admiration of his leadership during the past year. I cannot imagine anyone more qualified for this important position. I look forward to working with Don even more closely as we work to achieve our shared vision for the University.

"I would also like to thank Jeff Shannon, dean of the School of Architecture, and the search committee for their commitment to finding such an outstanding finalist," Smith added.

"I am deeply honored to have been chosen to serve the faculty, students, alumni and friends of the Fulbright College," Bobbitt said. " We have a tremendous opportunity to take the research and teaching missions of the College to new heights, consistent with our mission of serving as both the major land-grant and state university for Arkansas. The years ahead hold rich promise as we work to realize our potential as one of the finest core arts and sciences colleges in American higher education."

Fulbright College is the largest academic entity at the University. With 19 academic departments, the Fulbright College enrolls 40 percent of the 16,035 students who attend the University.

With his years of experience in teaching and research, Bobbitt has been on the receiving end of many honors and awards for his expertise in both of those arenas.

In addition to being named 1994 National Speaker for the Society of Applied Spectroscopy, he was elected to the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy in 1991, received the 1991 Alumni Association Award in Teaching and won the Fulbright College Master Teacher Award in 1991. He also received the Camile and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Fellowship from 1988-93.

Bobbitt has written and assisted in writing more than 60 publications and has been an invited speaker at more than 120 lectures and presentations throughout his career. He has served as a consultant for Shell Chemical Company, Sanyo Chemical Company, Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical, and he is currently a consultant for PDR-Chiral Inc., a Channel Partner of Hewlett Packard.

He earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry in 1985 from Iowa State University in Ames. He earned his B.S. degree with high honors in chemistry from the University of Arkansas in 1980.

He has received over $8 million in funded support, including educational and equipment funding from national corporations and organizations -- including the R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

He is the husband of Susan Bobbitt, manager of the costume design shop for the UA drama department. They have both been patrons of the UA fine arts programs for many years. Their oldest son Justin is currently a junior at the University, and their middle son Chris will begin his studies at the university this fall.