Coon named dean of UA Honors College

 Lynda Coon Lynda Coon
Lynda Coon Lynda Coon

FAYETTEVILLE -- A history professor at the University of Arkansas has been named dean of its Honors College.

Lynda Coon was chosen to replace Bob McMath, who retired in August. The announcement was made Thursday. She will begin her new duties June 1.

Coon is currently associate dean of fine arts and humanities in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. She is also director of the Religious Studies Program in the college.

There were 47 applicants for the job, said Javier Reyes, vice provost for distance education, who was chairman of the search committee.

Sharon Gaber, UA provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said she was happy Coon accepted the position.

"After a national search, we found that we had the best person right here on campus," said Gaber.

Coon wasn't initially an applicant for the job. She applied in December, said UA spokesman Steve Voorhies.

There were three finalists for the position last fall. Each finalist visited the Fayetteville campus in September, participating in interviews and public forums.

Gaber said a national search was held first, then people on campus were invited to apply. In the meantime, two finalists who interviewed in the fall dropped out of the search during the process, she said.

"We kept the search open," Gaber said. "Initially, we said we wanted to see what people from off-campus looked like. Then we invited people on-campus to apply."

Gaber said they were trying to find a perfect match for the Honors College, and Coon already had experience working with students in the Honors College.

"We had people who were good, but maybe not exactly the correct fit," Gaber said. "So we were looking for someone who was the correct fit."

Gaber said Coon was the only person offered the position. Gaber said Coon wasn't specifically asked to apply for the job.

Coon will earn an annual salary of $195,000 per year, Voorhies said. The annual salary for her current position is $144,000.

"I am honored to be selected as the second dean of the Honors College," Coon said through a news release.

She didn't return voice mail or email messages left for her on Thursday.

Gaber thanked the search committee for its "diligent work" and Curt Rom, a UA professor of horticulture, for doing an "outstanding job" as interim dean of the Honors College.

In 1995, Coon helped launch the Honors Humanities Project in the Fulbright College, according to the news release. The project is an interdisciplinary four-semester sequence of courses taught by teams of professors.

In her application letter to the committee, Coon emphasized the importance of undergraduate research as part of the UA's plan and discussed ways to involve more honors students in ongoing research.

Coon also recommended a plan to increase the diversity of the Honors College by recruiting valedictorians at every high school Arkansas and working to bring more underrepresented groups to campus, according to the news release.

"I also envision the Honors College as a place where distinguished visiting scholars could find a home, providing the institution with public lectures, one-on-one tutorials with advanced Honors College Fellows, and outreach to University of Arkansas colleagues," Coon wrote in her letter. "This program would lead to more national and international visibility for the university."

NW News on 03/06/2015

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