University of the Pacific Provost Maria Pallavicini announced the appointment of Patricia Campbell as the new dean of University College. She will begin her appointment July 31, 2017.
Established in 1972, University College is the home of Pacific's degree completion programs for adult learners. It was placed under the Center for Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) in 1999.
With Campbell's appointment, University College will return to its standing as a distinct academic unit under a dean's leadership, to reflect Pacific's increased focus on adult learners (the university's Academic Plan and Strategic Enrollment Plan call for increased enrollment of adult learners through expanded degree completion program offerings). As part of this transition, the operations of CPCE will be fully subsumed into University College and will continue to provide extension, non-credit and professional development opportunities.
Campbell comes to Pacific from the American Public University System (APUS), where she has served since 2008, most recently as vice president and dean of graduate studies, research and innovation. In this role, she developed and promoted unique pathways for adult learners to complete their degrees.
"I am delighted that Patricia Campbell will be joining Pacific," said Provost Pallavicini. "We will benefit from her experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit education sectors, as well as her understanding of academic technology."
Prior to her tenure at APUS, Campbell spent more than a decade at the University of West Georgia, where she served as professor and acting chair of the Department of Political Science and Planning and director of the Global Studies Program. She earned her PhD in International Relations in 1993 from the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and her BA in Political Science and History in 1985 from Illinois State University.
In her role as dean, Campbell will lead University College; oversee the Center for Teaching and Learning, working closely with its director, Lott Hill; and have oversight of the Academic Technology Blueprint, collaborating with faculty, the University Library and Pacific Technology. She will be responsible for growing Pacific's degree completion programs and non-credit-bearing courses.
The Provost would like to thank Dan Ebbers, interim dean of the Conservatory of Music, and the members of the search committee for bringing forth an exceptional group of candidates.