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HATTIESBURG
- The University of Southern Mississippi has named a veteran faculty
member as interim dean of the Southern Miss College of Education
and Psychology, with the search for a permanent replacement to resume
in the fall.
Dr. Willie
Lee Pierce, an Indianola native who joined the Southern Miss faculty
in the fall of 1975, will assume his duties July 1. He received
his undergraduate and master's degrees from Delta State University
and his doctorate from North Carolina State University, and began
his career at Southern Miss as an assistant professor of adult education.
Since then he has served as chair of the Southern Miss Department
of Adult Education and coordinator of graduate programs in adult
education. In addition, Pierce has served on the executive committee
and as membership chairman of the Commission of Professors of Adult
Education.
Pierce will
oversee the reconfiguration of the College of Education and Psychology,
which will undergo changes next month as part of the recent realignment
of the university's colleges. Programs in the college will include
the departments of curriculum, instruction and special education;
educational leadership and research; technology education; and psychology,
along with newly added degree programs that include child and family
studies; family and consumer sciences education; family and consumer
studies, early intervention; and marriage and family therapy.
Also included
will be the school of library and information sciences.
"I look
forward to the opportunity," Pierce said. "My fundamental
goal is to help us develop a cohesive college with these new units
that works together to help us move forward."
Pierce said
he will work to familiarize himself with the college's new units
and prepare to help the university secure a permanent replacement
for the dean's position. "The thing is to find the right fit
for the job, and I look forward to helping with that process."
Dr. Tim Hudson,
Provost of Southern Miss' Hattiesburg campus, praised the work of
the search committee interviewing candidates for a new dean for
the college, but said it was determined that more time was needed
in order to find the best leader to fill this critical position.
"The search
committee did a great job, but there are times when you don't find
the right person, the right fit, in the first attempt," he
said. "We must have the very best leadership for this important
college. We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Pierce's background
and familiarity with the programs in education and psychology to
serve as interim dean. He has the support of his colleagues, and
he will do a terrific job."
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