Western faculty members’ tenure, promotions celebrated

KALAMAZOO, Mich.-A number of outstanding Western Michigan University faculty members received tenure and promotions through the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, provost and vice president for academic affairs, celebrated their successes in recommending the actions at the board meeting on Thursday, June 27.

He congratulated faculty members, saying, "Your colleagues, students and the entire University community have greatly benefited from your presence and your invaluable contributions. Your commitment to excellence and your dedication to the pursuit of knowledge serve as an inspiration to us and for your students. This milestone reflects your exceptional abilities, your perseverance and the profound impact you have had on the academic community and beyond."

The following faculty members received tenure:

• Elissa Allen, WMU Bronson School of Nursing
• Mert Atilhan, Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering
• Carrie Barrett, Department of Physical Therapy
• Ellen Breakfield-Glick, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Charles Bruce, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Caroline Burke-Kolehmainen, Department of Accountancy
• Jou-Chen Chen, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Benjamin Colin Cork, Department of Human Performance and Health Education
• Robin Criter, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
• Mohammad Daneshvar Kakhki, Department of Business Information Systems
• Virginia David, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
• Kimberly Doudna, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Lori Farrer, Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies
• Lauren Foley, Department of Political Science
• Hope Gerlach-Houch, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
• Linda Hanson, Department of Chemistry
• Trey Harris, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Susan Houtrouw, WMU Bronson School of Nursing
• Michelle Hrivnyak, Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies
• Elizabeth Isidro, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
• Lauron Kehrer, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Jinseok Kim, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Nathan Lisak, Department of Aviation Sciences
• Cassie Lopez-Jeng, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
• Melinda McCormick, School of Social Work
• Ting-Yu (Kevin) Mu, Department of Business Information Systems
• Lusike Mukhongo, School of Communication
• Rhea Olivacce, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Daria Orlowska, University Libraries
• Carter Rice, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Veronica Rice-McCray, Department of Business Information Systems
• LaSonja Roberts, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• Jonathan Scherger, University Libraries
• Tiffany Schriever, Department of Biological Sciences
• Utkarsh Shrivastava, Department of Business Information Systems
• Frederick Stull, Department of Chemistry
• Kathryn Thomsen, School of Theatre and Dance
• Peter Voice, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
• Ya Zhang, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• Andrew Zolp, Department of Physician Assistant

The following faculty members were promoted to professor:

• Wendy Beane, Department of Biological Sciences
• Christopher Biggs, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Linda Borish, Department of History
• Mioara Diaconu, School of Social Work
• Kathryn Docherty, Department of Biological Sciences
• Lofton Durham, School of Theatre and Dance
• Mingming Feng, Department of Accountancy
• Alvis Fong, Department of Computer Science
• Brian Gogan, Department of English
• Pablo Gomez, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Megan Grunert-Kowalske, Department of Chemistry
• LuMarie Guth, University Libraries
• Wanda Hadley, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• David Kutzko, Department of World Languages and Literatures
• Priscilla Lambert, Department of Political Science
• Daryl Lawson, Department of Physical Therapy
• Lei Meng, School of the Environment, Geography, and Sustainability
• Cynthia Pietras, Department of Psychology
• Andrew Rathbun, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Donald (Matt) Reeves, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
• Alessander Danna-dos Santos, Department of Physical Therapy
• Michelle Suarez, Department of Occupational Therapy
• David Szabla, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• Elizabeth Terrel, School of Theatre and Dance
• Mary-Louise Totten, Gwen Frostic School of Art
• Jessica Van Stratton, Department of Psychology

The following faculty members were promoted to associate professor:

• Elissa Allen, WMU Bronson School of Nursing
• Carrie Barrett, Department of Physical Therapy
• Ellen Breakfield-Glick, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Caroline Burke-Kolehmainen, Department of Accountancy
• Jou-Chen Chen, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Benjamin Colin Cork, Department of Human Performance and Health Education
• Robin Criter, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
• Mohammad Daneshvar Kakhki, Department of Business Information Systems
• Kimberly Doudna, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Lauren Foley, Department of Political Science
• Hope Gerlach-Houch, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
• Elizabeth Isidro, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
• Lauron Kehrer, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Jinseok Kim, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Cassie Lopez-Jeng, School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs
• Melinda McCormick, School of Social Work
• Rhea Olivacce, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• Daria Orlowska, University Libraries
• Carter Rice, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music
• LaSonja Roberts, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• Jonathan Scherger, University Libraries
• Tiffany Schriever, Department of Biological Sciences
• Utkarsh Shrivastava, Department of Business Information Systems
• Frederick Stull, Department of Chemistry
• Kathryn Thomsen, School of Theatre and Dance
• Ya Zhang, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology
• Andrew Zolp, Department of Physician Assistant

The following faculty members were promoted to master faculty specialist:

• Tim Broadwater, Department of Aviation Sciences
• Sara Clark, Department of Occupational Therapy
• Holly Grieves, Department of Occupational Therapy
• Susan Houtrouw, WMU Bronson School of Nursing
• David Paul, Department of Philosophy

The following faculty members were promoted to faculty specialist II:

• Nichole Andrews, Department of Statistics
• Charles Bruce, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
• Virginia David, Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies
• Elise DeCamp, Institute for Intercultural and Anthropological Studies
• Lori Farrer, Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies
• Teresa Greenlees, Department of Marketing
• Linda Hanson, Department of Chemistry
• Tom Kelly, Department of Marketing
• Nathan Lisak, Department of Aviation Sciences
• Peter Voice, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences

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