2020 Gumbo Final - Book - Page 79
A new dean
for a new year
r
Roland Mitchell named the College of Human
Sciences and Education dean full time
oland Mitchell, the College of Human Sciences
and Education interim dean, has been promoted
full time to this position, and assumed his role as
dean today. With all he’s accomplished already,
he’s looking to continue to help improve his
college and the University as a whole.
When Mitchell began at LSU, he started off as
an assistant professor writing and teaching his
ideas to his student audiences. As he started to
hit a fork in the road, he went to speak with his
supervisor about his future.
“He said, ‘I want you to follow your passion for
your career, but there are things you can do
here, opportunities to grow. So let’s talk about
opportunities,,” Mitchell said.
Story: Bailey Chauvin
Photo: Reveille Photographer
Design: Chloe Bryars
He then served as an associate director, and was
eventually promoted to associate dean. When the
dean for the College of HS&E left, he picked up as
interim dean for 15 months before finally ending
up in his current position.
The accomplishments that Mitchell hopes to have
as dean include growing the knowledge and
communication of the faculty, online enrollment
and community engagement.
“If we know we have a large student body and
more diverse student body, I want our faculty
to better understand how to build meaningful,
pedagogical relationships with a diverse
constituent group,” Mitchell said. “There are
different types of online experiences that the
University is still trying to figure out so I want to
up our ante, and I also want to have a measurable
way to say by virtue of the College of HS&E
people in the community feel like it’s a better
community.”
Mitchell said he’s excited for his new role as dean
and sees it as a change of pace from being a
faculty member, a position he already loved.
“I’m excited about this job because as an
administrator you have to be a little more
decisive, and it really is about vision and building
consensus,” Mitchell said.
Of course, Mitchell wasn’t always a faculty
member at the University. He is originally
from Nashville, Tennessee, and completed his
undergraduate degree in history and religion
at Fisk University. He then went on to earn
his master’s degree in higher education from
Vanderbilt University. He was a substance abuse
counselor in metropolitan Nashville schools
before finally becoming an academic advisor/
graduate student at Alabama University before
coming to LSU.
LSU President F. King Alexander expressed his
support of Mitchell and confidence as he takes
the reigns in his new role as dean.
“He is a great addition to our leadership team,
and I am confident that he will continue to
transform the educational experience here at
LSU,” Alexander said in a statement.
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