COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – The dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Marshall University will become the first provost of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Christina Murphy, currently dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Marshall University, Huntington, W. Va., was selected following a national search. Her appointment was announced by UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak pending formal approval by the CU Board of Regents at a June meeting.
“Dr. Murphy brings considerable administrative experience and deep roots in the humanities to UCCS,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “We are pleased to have her join the deeply committed faculty and staff of this university in building a unique student learning environment.”
As provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, Murphy will direct the activities of the university’s six colleges and further integrate the university’s student success division with academic affairs. She will begin July 23 and will report to Shockley-Zalabak. The position replaces a vice chancellor for academic affairs position previously held by Rogers Redding. Since July 2006, Margaret “Peg” Bacon, professor, Education, has served as interim vice chancellor for academic affairs.
“The opportunity to join UCCS as provost and vice chancellor is exciting indeed, and I look forward to working with the campus and the community to continue to advance the University in achieving its goals,” Murphy said. “ I was impressed by UCCS from the beginning for its accomplishments and its vision of the future, but most especially by the quality of the university’s faculty and staff. It will be a pleasure to work with such dedicated people and to be a part of such a dynamic academic community.”
Murphy was selected following a national search that drew more than 90 applicants. Four finalists were selected for interviews. The search committee was co-chaired by Tom Christensen, dean, Letters, Arts and Sciences and Leslie Manning, dean, Kraemer Family Library.
Since 2001, Murphy has served as dean of liberal arts at Marshall, a public university with 14,000 students. The College of Liberal Arts offers 50 areas of study and employs 135 full-time faculty.
Previously, she was associate dean at William Paterson University, Wayne, N.J., chair of the English Department at the University of Memphis, director of the writing program at Texas Christian University, and director of humanities at Mississippi Technical College. She began her academic career as an assistant professor of English at the University of Mississippi. She is the author of eight books and has published widely, primarily in the areas of writing instruction, assessment of instruction, and academic leadership.
She earned a master’s and Ph.D. in English from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree in English from Temple University.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 26 bachelor’s degrees, 17 master’s and four doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,600 students annually. For more information, visit http://www.uccs.edu