Rhodes College’s Office of Academic Affairs, which works to enhance academic excellence at the college, has added four new key positions. They are Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, who is now dean for faculty development; Dr. Natalie Person, dean for community engagement/executive director of the Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement; Dr. Sujan Dan, dean for post-graduate and special programs; and Dr. Geoffrey Maddox, associate dean for assessment and academic effectiveness. All will assume their new roles on July 1.
“I am thrilled that we have assembled such an experienced and talented team. Together, we will work with our outstanding faculty to ensure that we are providing the best learning opportunities that we can for twenty-first century students,” said Dr. Timothy Huebner, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
More about the new members of the Academic Affairs team:
Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, Dean for Faculty Development
For the past year, Thomas has served in an interim capacity. In this role, she has coordinated all faculty reviews in collaboration with the provost and the Tenure and Promotion Committee, while also leading all faculty development programming and diversity and equity initiatives within the Office of Academic Affairs. As the Plough Professor and Chair of Urban Studies since 2012 and chair of the Faculty Governance Committee from 2021 to 2022, Thomas brings deep institutional knowledge and professionalism to her new role.
Dr. Natalie Person, Dean for Community Engagement/Executive Director of the Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement
After having served five years as dean for curricular development, Person will work to build on and strengthen the college’s commitment to Memphis. Last year, she chaired the Community Engagement Task Force, which outlined a unified strategy of engaging with the city with academics at the center. She joined the faculty in 1994, and as a former chair of two academic departments, Person brings a breadth of institutional experiences and community connections that make her ideally suited to this position.
Dr. Sujan Dan, Dean for Post-Graduate and Special Programs
Dan joins the Office of Academic Affairs as the college’s first academic leader focused on overseeing programs outside of the undergraduate domain. Having joined the college in 2013, Dan has served as chair of the Department of Business and on a variety of task forces and faculty committees. His scholarly expertise in the areas of strategy, innovation, and new products, as well as his familiarity with the college’s M.S. in Accounting program, make him uniquely qualified for this position. As “securing the future” is a strategic imperative of the college, Dan will focus on ensuring that existing and new programs outside the undergraduate curriculum provide sustained revenue.
Dr. Geoffrey Maddox, Associate Dean for Assessment and Academic Effectiveness
Over the past few years, in his work as a Faculty Fellow and as director of Assessment and Administration, Maddox has collaborated closely with the Office of Academic Affairs on a number of projects, including peer institution salary comparisons, chair compensation, and faculty retention. The current chair of the Department of Psychology, Maddox brings knowledge and experience in the areas of assessment and data analysis, and he will be a key player in the college’s upcoming SACS re-affirmation in his new role as associate dean. He came to Rhodes in 2013 as a visiting assistant professor and joined the faculty full-time in 2015.
“Congratulations to these new members of the team, as they join Associate Provost Rashna Richards, Mellon Fellow and Associate Dean Eric Henager, and me in advancing our academic program. I am especially grateful to members of the Faculty Governance Committee for their feedback in the selection process,” said Huebner.