By Jeff Murphy,
June 1, 2021
Photo courtesy of Lindenwood University
WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥 With the retirement of longtime Dean of the College of Health, Science
and Technology Alice Greife, Ph.D., the 欧美视频 is turning
to an experienced and collegial leader to fill her post on an interim basis.
Greife, who had a 25-year career at UCM including the last 18 years as dean, officially
retires from her post on June 30. As the university looks to the future, Phil Bridgmon,
Ph.D., UCM provost and vice president for academic affairs, today announced the appointment
of Weldon Spring, Missouri resident Mark Arant, Ph.D., as interim dean, while the
university conducts a search.
Arant, a longtime educator with teaching and administrative experience, comes to UCM
after serving most recently as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. He officially begins his interim
post at UCM on July 1, 2021.
鈥淒r. Arant is a highly regarded, insightful, and strategic leader. He is deeply committed
to the success of his colleagues and students. I look forward to his service to UCM
as the interim dean in CHST,鈥 Bridgmon said.
Arant has a doctorate in organic chemistry from The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa,
and received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Louisiana Tech University in
Ruston, Louisiana.
His professional career in higher education includes serving as an assistant and associate
professor of chemistry from August 1994 to July 2004 at the University of Louisiana
at Monroe, where he also advanced to the position of associate dean of the College
of Arts and Sciences, and served at that post from July 2004 to July 2006. He spent
a year as interim dean at the University of Louisiana, and in July 2008 he became
the dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at the
University of Arkansas, Fort Smith. While serving the University of Arkansas, his
leadership skills were also employed as interim dean of the College of Education for
approximately one year. In July 2014, Arant joined Northeastern State University,
Tahlequah, Oklahoma, as provost and vice president for academic affairs, followed
by two years at the same position at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.
While at Lindenwood, Arant contributed to many initiatives. Among them was the development
of an organization plan for Academic Affairs, launching development of a co-curricular
transcript, initiating the Council of Deans and Directors, co-chairing the strategy
taskforce for development of Lindenwood鈥檚 strategic plan, establishing transfer agreements
with three other institutions including a university in Australia, implementation
of instructional strategies for COVID-19 in the fall 2020 semester, and launching
a an evaluation of opportunities to improve sustainability.