ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE

(INCLUDING SELECT SHARED GOVERNANCE)

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Dean (July 2020-present). College of Arts and Sciences. Loyola University Chicago

• 19 academic departments spanning the Computational and Engineering Sciences, Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.

• 31 interdisciplinary programs and 7 interdisciplinary centers.

• 451 full-time faculty (281 tenure-track and 170 non-tenure-track on multiyear contracts).

• 256 part-time faculty and 18 non-tenure-track faculty on one-year contracts.

• 83 staff members across all departments, programs, and centers.

• 7,189 undergraduate and 660 graduate students (roughly 50% of Loyola students).

• 2,079 fall 2024 classes, including roughly 88% of all Core Curriculum classes taken by students from across all 13 Loyola schools and colleges.​​

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Accomplishments as Dean since July 2020

 

• Strategic vision. Developed a six-point strategic vision to better integrate the College’s highly complex academic structures and to inform all new initiatives as the College builds for the future.

• Shared governance. Restructured the College’s shared governance structures to promote collaborative input on substantive policy issues, with a special focus on the Dean’s College Leadership Council (comprised of department chairs and interdisciplinary program and center directors) and the Dean’s Advisory Council (alumni and donors who wish to play a greater role in the College).

• Strategic planning. Launched and led a comprehensive two-year strategic planning process to identify fundable projects to ensure that the College remains at the cutting edge of academia. Seven major projects were identified and are moving forward, most notably a STEM integration initiative that will include the construction of a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary STEM integration building.

• Innovative program development and rising enrollments. Fostered the development of numerous new academic programs to attract students who are interested in the careers of tomorrow, ranging from a new Minor in Law and Politics to expansion of a BS in Cybersecurity, a new MS in Data Science, and a new PhD in Computer Science. These and other efforts have contributed to healthy and rising undergraduate enrollments within the College, from 6,818 majors (99,778 credit hours) in fall 2020 to 7,189 majors (107,709 credit hours) in fall 2024.

• Alumni and donor engagement. Completely restructured in coordination with Loyola’s Advancement division how the College engages with alumni and donors, resulting in $10.5 million in cash gifts during the last three years (a 91% increase over the previous three-year period). Last year, the College raised a record $4.6 million in cash gifts.

• External grants. Also restructured in coordination with the Provost’s Office and the Office of Research Services how the College manages and incentivizes the faculty’s pursuit of external grants, resulting in $24 million in external grants during the last three years (a 67% increase over the previous three-year period).

• Faculty-mentored research as a student recruitment tool. Launched in 2022 a 4-week Undergraduate Summer Research Experience (USRE) that introduces freshmen and sophomores to research under the mentorship of a faculty member in the summer following their freshman or sophomore year (a record 80 scholarships of $3,500 each were awarded in summer 2024). For upper-division undergraduate students, we launched a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), which as of 2024-25 includes more than 20 courses involving upwards of 400 students in special, faculty-mentored research experiences.

• Student advisement and retention. Reimagined how the College’s student advisement team approaches our 3,500+ undergraduate advisees in their junior and senior years so as to enhance the student academic experience and therefore contribute to higher retention rates. New efforts have ranged from creating nimble on-line and in-person advisement structures and launching “nuts-and-bolts” workshops for at-risk groups such as veterans, transfer, and first-generation students to more effectively coordinating with the University’s Office of First- and Second-Year Advisement.

• Interdisciplinary program development. A cornerstone of my deanship has been building interdisciplinary bridges within the College as well as between the College and all other schools at Loyola so as to enhance faculty research and student engagement opportunities. This commitment has resulted in the launching of five new interdisciplinary research centers that focus on some of the most prominent issues of our day, such as criminal justice, cybersecurity, data science, international affairs, and the College’s Jesuit heritage.

• Public-private partnerships at the local community and regional levels. I have also prioritized collaboration with the University’s offices of Governmental Affairs and Corporate and Foundation Relations to pursue and deepen public-private partnerships at the local community and regional levels. An illustrative example is our new MEd degrees with specializations in Dance and Theatre, made possible through collaboration between the College’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Loyola’s School of Education, and the Chicago Public School (CPS) system. Each of the 25 enrolled students participates in a year-long residency in a CPS school, receiving a $40,000 stipend from CPS and a guaranteed CPS job upon program completion.

• Investing in faculty. As dean, I have launched several new initiatives designed to underscore the faculty’s role as the bedrock of institutional success, such as hosting luncheons that celebrate the arrival of new faculty and promotions of current faculty. In collaboration with the College’s 19 department chairs, we also revised our full-time faculty hiring strategy to emphasize three factors – interdisciplinarity, the pursuit of external grants, and diversity – in addition to our classic focus on hiring outstanding researchers and teachers. Of the 125 full-time faculty hired during the last four years, more than 50% self-identify as faculty of color.

• Student scholarships. Created and permanently funded four new sets of “Building Bridges” scholarships that enable undergraduate students to make their academic dreams come true, whether in terms of studying abroad, pursuing an interdisciplinary minor, or being involved in community engagement.

• Building international bridges. Established a strategic partnership with the Office for Global and Community to enhance the College’s international footprint, with a special focus on enhancing the College’s relationship with Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center in Italy. I am a firm believer that our academic institutions are much better places – and that our students, faculty, staff, and administrators are much better people – when we are globally aware and connected.

• Gender equity. I constituted in my second year as dean a special task force on Faculty Gender Equity that, for the first time in College history and after nearly two years of effort, submitted an outstanding data-driven report inclusive of 31 recommendations for enhancing gender equity. After broad discussions throughout spring 2023, the College is moving ahead with all 31 recommendations.

• Staff development. Created and funded starting in fall 2022 a professional development program for College staff members whereby they are embedded, all expenses paid, as participants (not workers) in faculty-led travel classes during the January and summer terms. Since January 2023, eight College staff members have participated in faculty-led programs in Northern Ireland, Washington DC, Quito (Ecuador), London (United Kingdom), and Rome (Italy).

• Championing faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Collaborated with the University’s Office of Marketing and Communication to create and launch a weekly College “spotlight” series that is designed to champion the world-class accomplishments of the College’s faculty, staff, alumni, and students. This initiative has fostered a tremendous amount of pride, appreciation, and common loyalty within the College and has served as a highly effective vehicle for communicating College successes to external audiences.

• Thoughtful decision-making and leadership. As a specialist of the theory and practice of decision-making models, I embody a decision-making approach based on inclusivity, transparency, and collaboration – shared governance traits that are crucial to leadership success. 

• The best leaders are the best listeners. The most important rule that I have learned as an administrator, teacher, and scholar is that the best leaders are the best listeners.

 

Department Chair (July 2012-June 2020). Department of Political Science. Loyola University Chicago

• Managed a large, complex department that as of spring 2020 included twenty-three full-time and eleven part-time faculty, 583 declared Political Science majors, 137 declared Political Science minors, and four graduate programs (BA/MA, MA/JD, MA, and PhD).

• Fostered equity among the faculty ranks by integrating full-time, non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty as equal members of the department, including full voting rights on all issues at department meetings, class scheduling parity, inclusion in department committees, and critical teaching support (e.g., individual offices).

• Developed strategies that successfully contributed to the diversification of department faculty. In terms of gender, for example, the department witnessed a transformation from including only two full-time female faculty (or 10.5% of a nineteen-member faculty) in 2006-07, to nine full-time female faculty (or 39% of a twenty-three-member faculty) in 2019-20, with six of those hires taking place during my time as chair.

• Oversaw a multiyear effort designed to enhance undergraduate offerings that resulted in a 44% increase in declared Political Science majors from 406 declared majors in September 2015 to 583 declared majors in April 2020.

• Led the development and launch in Fall 2016 of an interdisciplinary undergraduate Washington DC Center in coordination with Loyola’s School of Communication and the Office of Government Affairs that permits undergraduate students from all Loyola Schools and Colleges to spend a semester interning in Washington DC while taking a full course load with classes taught by Loyola faculty.

• Oversaw the expansion of teaching and programmatic contributions to fourteen interdisciplinary programs, making Political Science one of the largest departmental contributors to interdisciplinary programs.

• Developed an alumni and donor gift initiative in coordination with Advancement and Alumni Relations to fund new Political Science programming, such as an interdisciplinary initiative with the Department of Fine and Performing Arts in which four politically oriented plays were attended by Political Science students and faculty over a four-year period (2016-20). 

• Launched with donor funding new undergraduate experiential learning programs, such as Chicago Model United Nations, Model European Union, and national Moot Court competitions.

 

Elected Chair (2009-2010). Faculty Council. Loyola University Chicago (with added service 2005-2012 as elected faculty representative, and 2007-2012 as elected member of the executive committee)

• Elected Chair of the body that represents faculty of all Schools and Colleges at the Lake Shore, Health Sciences, and Water Tower campuses.

• Worked directly with the President and the Senior Academic Officers on numerous faculty-related issues, including salary, teaching loads, leave policies, gender equity, tenure-and-promotion guidelines, and rights and privileges of full-time, non-tenure-track faculty.

• Contributed to the restructuring of Loyola’s shared governance system that led to the creation of a new University Senate representing administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

• Developed greater linkages between faculty at the Lakeside campuses (Water Tower and Lake Shore campuses) and the Health Sciences campus.

• Fostered a spirit of cooperation between faculty and administration through regular meetings with the President and the Provost.

 

Graduate Program Director (2008-2012). Department of Political Science. Loyola

University Chicago

• Directed four graduate programs (BA/MA, MA/JD, MA, and PhD).

• Managed a restructuring of the department’s PhD program to focus on “Global Politics” as part of the University’s focus on the internationalization of the curriculum.

• Worked with the Graduate School to increase the number of internally and externally funded graduate students.

• Oversaw admissions process, funding decisions, course offerings, comprehensive exams, and student advising.

• Coordinated with the Graduate School to enhance the diversification and internationalization of the graduate student body.

• Served as department representative to the Graduate School’s Council of Graduate School Programs.

 

Elected Chair (2008-2009). Faculty Affairs University Policy Committee (FAUPC). Loyola University Chicago (with added service 2007-2008 as member)

• Elected Chair of shared governance body that reviewed university policies affecting faculty of all schools and colleges at the Lake Shore, Health Sciences, and Water Tower campuses.

• Coordinated a university-wide consultative process that revised for the first time since 1993 the Faculty Handbook, with the new edition appearing in 2009 (the first time that the handbook had been revised in sixteen years).

• Reviewed and developed faculty proposals for a variety of family-friendly policies, such as maternity leave, that are now operative at the university.

 

Acting Program Director (Fall 2005). Global and International Studies Program. Loyola University Chicago

• Managed all aspects of an interdisciplinary program with several hundred majors and minors while the Director was on leave, including student advising, class scheduling, and coordination with departments that contribute courses to the program.

• Added service included serving on the committee that transformed the minor into a major, teaching the introductory 101 course (1998-2004), creating and teaching the first capstone course (spring 2008), creating an internship program and class (1998-2002), and serving on the program’s Advisory Board (2005-2011; 1996-2002; 1991-1994).

 

Internship Director (1998-2005), including 1998-2002 for a joint Internship Program between the Department of Political Science and the Global and International Studies Program; and 2003-2005 for the John Felice Rome Center

• Created and directed a joint internship program that involved expanding an existing Political Science internship program and creating a Global and International Studies internship program.

• Developed placements, recruited students, created course and evaluation materials, and taught the internship class.

• By the end of spring 2002, this joint program was annually placing nearly eighty students, with more than 50% of Political Science and Global and International Studies majors graduating with at least one internship experience. The large number of enrolled students resulted in the program being split between two directors: one for Political Science and one for the Global and International Studies Program.

• While serving as a visiting professor (2003-05) at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center, and drawing on my Chicago-based administrative experience, I created and coordinated the internship program, including developing placements, placing the students, and teaching the internship class. I placed thirteen students with host organizations in Rome in spring 2004, and fifteen students in spring 2005.

 

Elected President (1998-1999). International Studies Association/Midwest (with added service 1997-1998 as Convention Coordinator)

• Elected President of the Midwest regional affiliate of the parent International Studies Association.

• Managed all aspects of the organization, including budget, member relations, academic committees, and the annual academic conference.

 

Convention Coordinator (1985-1986). International Studies Association. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (with added service 1986-1987 as officer for the Foreign Policy Analysis section)

• Served as Convention Coordinator for the 7,000-member International Studies Association, while pursuing my Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina where the organization was based.

• Coordinated all aspects of the 1986 annual convention, including annual budget, negotiations with local hotels and providers, paper submission vetting and panel creation, and on-site registration.

 

 

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS (INCLUDING OVERSEAS)

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• Professor (2003-present). Department of Political Science, Loyola University Chicago (Associate Professor, 1996-2003, and Assistant Professor, 1990-1996)

• Visiting Professor (1 week each year, 2004-2019, to teach a short graduate course). Faculty of Law and Political and Social Sciences, University of Carthage (Tunisia)

• Professor in Residence (August 2003-July 2005, and summer 2006 and summer 2017). John Felice Rome Center (Italy)

• Fulbright Lecturer and Researcher (October 2002-August 2003). Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tunis, El Manar (Tunisia) (also served in December 2004-January 2005 as a Fulbright Senior Specialist Lecturer)

• Visiting Lecturer (May-June 1999 and September 1999). Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of the Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe)

• Scholar in Residence (June-August 1996). French Institute of African Research (IFRA), Harare (Zimbabwe)

• Fulbright Lecturer (October 1994-June 1995 and December 1995-August 1996). Faculty of Law and Political Science, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar (Senegal)

• Visiting Scholar (August 1989-July 1990). Program of African Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

• U.S. State Department Intern (June-August 1987). U.S. Embassy, Djibouti City (Djibouti)

• Visiting Instructor (June-August 1985). Somali National University and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mogadishu (Somalia)

 

SELECT SERVICE AT LOYOLA

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• Member (2020-present). Dean’s Council (reports to Provost)

• Dean Representative (2022-24). University Leadership Council (President’s Cabinet)

• Dean Representative (2021-23). Academic Affairs Subcommittee, Board of Trustees

• Member (2012-20). African Studies and African Diaspora Program Advisory Board (also served on the advisory board of this program’s predecessor, Black World Studies, 1996-2002; 1991-1994)

• Member (2012-20). Islamic World Studies Advisory Board

• Elected Board Member (2016-19). Our Lady of the Wayside School Board

• Member (2017-18). Financial Planning Working Group–Academic Affairs, tasked by the President and Provost’s Office with reviewing the financials of existing academic programs and exploring the costs of potential new programs

• Member (2015-16). Task Force on the Structure and Future of the Interdisciplinary Global and International Studies Program

• Member (2014-15). Task Force on the Structure of the College of Arts and Sciences, tasked with determining whether and how the College should be restructured to meet new needs and opportunities

• Faculty Mentor (summer 2013). McNair Fellows Mentoring Program

• Member (2006-2012; 1998-2002; 1990-1993). Graduate Committee, Department of Political Science

• Member (2005-12). John Felice Rome Center Advisory Committee

• Member (2005-2011; 1996-2002; 1991-1994). Global and International Studies Program Advisory Board

• Co-Creator and Co-Organizer (2006-2007). Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Economic Literacy Project (with Nick Patricca)

• Member (2006-2007). Ricci Scholarship Fellowship Committee (year-long grants for students to study/research for one semester each at Loyola’s Beijing and Rome campuses)

• Member (2005-2007; 1998-2002). Graduate Fellowship Committee (university-wide graduate research grants)

• Member (2005-2006). Presidential Task Force on Assessing Shared Governance at Loyola University

• Founder and Faculty Advisor (2003-2005). International Relations Club, John Felice Rome Center

• Campus Program Advisor (1998-1999). Fulbright Program (graduate and undergraduate students)

• Faculty Advisor (1996-1999; 1990-1994). Loyola chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science National Honor Society)

• Member (1993-1994). Undergraduate Committee, Department of Political Science

• Department Representative (1990-1993). Academic Council, College of Arts and Sciences