Meet the Candidates
for CCAS Board of Directors
Election Procedures:
In accordance with the CCAS Bylaws, the election for officers and members of the Board of Directors takes place by
paper ballot at the Annual Meeting. Each institution receives one (1) vote. Those attending the Annual Meeting in
Portland should be prepared to vote for president (1), president-elect (1) and term members (6 vacancies). Ballots are
due by 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 14.
For President
Denise A. Battles
University of Northern Colorado
Denise A. Battles is Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences at
the University of Northern Colorado, a position she has held since July 2005.
She was previously Associate Dean at Georgia Southern University (19992005) and, prior to that, Assistant Dean at the same institution (1995-1999).
During the 2000-2001 academic year, she served at Auburn University as an
American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow, where she was mentored by
former Auburn President William V. Muse. A geologist, Dr. Battles completed
her baccalaureate degree at Colgate University and her Ph.D. at UCLA. She has
been an active member of CCAS since 1995, attending the New Deans’ Seminar
in 1996 and serving a three year term on the Comprehensive Universities
Committee from 2000 to 2002. She has been involved on the Annual Meeting’s
Program Committee for a number of years (2003-2005, 2007, and 2008) and has
served as both member and chair of the Case Study Committee. Dean Battles
regularly participates in CCAS Annual Meeting sessions as a presenter and
session facilitator, and in 2007, facilitated the development and offering of the
pre-conference workshop on Conflict Management for Deans. She has served on
the CCAS Board of Directors since 2004 and has been the Board liaison to the
Associate/Assistant Deans’ Committee since its 2005 establishment.
For President-Elect
Paul B. Bell, Jr.
The University of Oklahoma
Paul Bell is in his 12th year as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the
University of Oklahoma, where he also serves as Vice Provost for Instruction.
He is a cell biologist with an A.B. in Biology from Washington University, St.
Louis, and a Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University. Prior to joining the faculty
of the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma in 1979, he was
a Post-doctoral Fellow at Uppsala University in Sweden and at the California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He also taught for three years at UCLA as
an adjunct assistant professor. At OU, before becoming dean, Dean Bell served
as a Faculty Administrative Fellow in the Provost Office, Associate Provost
for Undergraduate Education and Programs, and Associate Provost. He is the
recipient of an honorary doctorate from Linköping University in Sweden, where
he taught and carried out research over a 14 year period. Dr. Bell currently
serves on the state-wide Council on Instruction of the Oklahoma State Regents
for Higher Education and on the boards of Oklahoma School of Science and
Mathematics, the Sutton Avian Research Center, and the OU Confucius Institute.
He is in his second year as a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of
Colleges of Arts and Sciences.
For the Board of Directors (in alphabetical order)
Salvatore J. (Sam) Catanzaro
Illinois State University
Carmen R. Cid
Eastern Connecticut State University
Shila Garg
College of Wooster
Rachel W. Lindsey
Chicago State University
Salvatore J. (Sam) Catanzaro is currently Executive Associate Dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences at Illinois State University, having served as an associate dean since 2002. He has initiated or
facilitated faculty and chair professional development programs; agreements with universities in China,
Brazil, Columbia, and Poland; community partnerships; and the reorganization of technology support units.
His duties have also included budget, planning, research support, interdisciplinary programs, facilities
coordination, and donor cultivation.
A Professor of Psychology with 20 years at Illinois State, he earned the B.A. from La Salle University and
the Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. He served as graduate programs coordinator and advisor, and
he conducts research on mood regulation, coping with stress, and emotional disorders.
Dr. Catanzaro joined CCAS in 2002 and has attended every national meeting since then as well as the
New Deans Seminar. He has hosted two luncheon table discussions and participated in a panel on the first
year experience. For the 2008 meeting, he is organizing a session on integrating liberal arts education and
professional preparation, and participating in another on fundraising for research support. He is a member of
the Program and Research Universities Committees.
Carmen R. Cid is Professor of Ecology and in her fifth year as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Eastern
Connecticut State University. Dr. Cid is on the CCAS Program Committee and is the co-chair of the CCAS
Cultural Diversity Committee. She has organized and presented in CCAS panel sessions on multiple strategies for
promoting faculty to the deanship, best practices on diversifying faculty and the student body, and how deans can
foster undergraduate research and develop arts partnerships with the community. In 2007, she co-organized the
CCAS post-conference leadership forum for assistant/associate deans.
Currently, Dr. Cid is the project leader for a Nellie Mae Foundation grant to improve recruitment and retention
of minority, low-income and first-generation college students, through better identification of at-risk students using
a logistic regression math model and data-driven intervention strategies in a culturally responsive Student Success
Center. For 21 years at Eastern she has combined research on factors affecting urban wetland biodiversity with
ecology education outreach programs, working to increase participation and retention of women and minorities in
the sciences. She has chaired Education and Human Resources committees for the Ecological Society of America,
the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the American Association of University Women.
Shila Garg has served as the Dean of Faculty at the College of Wooster since 2002. Prior to this
appointment, she was chair of the physics department for six years. Dr. Garg earned her B.S. from University
of Madras, India, M.S. from University of Sussex and Ph.D. from University of Kent at Canterbury, U.K. She
joined the physics department at Wooster in 1987 and established an NSF REU site in Physics and directed it
for several years. She served as a member of the Committee on Education of the American Physical Society
for three years and chaired the Physics and Astronomy division of Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
Her research focuses on phase transitions and electrical properties of liquid crystals. She has received numerous
grants from NSF to support her research. She has served on several panels to review grant proposals for NSF
and other funding agencies and has been an external reviewer of departments and programs. She has given many
presentations on liquid crystal physics, careers in liberal arts institutions, leadership for building a research-rich
learning environment, capstone research experience and first-year Seminar program.
Dr. Garg joined CCAS five years ago and is the current chair of its Committee on Liberal Arts Institutions. She
was a facilitator for the 2008 New Deans’ Seminar and has organized several panels for the annual meetings.
Rachel W. Lindsey has served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Chicago State University (CSU)
since 1991. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan and her M.A. and Ph.D. in
Educational Psychology from the University of Chicago. In 1976, she began teaching educational psychology and
child development at CSU in the Department of Psychology.
Dr. Lindsey’s early research focused on social development in preschool children with an emphasis on altruism,
evaluation research focusing on Head Start and reform projects in the Chicago Public Schools. Subsequently, she
led several research projects focusing on teacher preparation, violence reduction, and social service. After becoming
dean, she was instrumental in CSU receiving a National Science Foundation grant for the Illinois Louis Stokes
Alliance for Minority Participation, a statewide consortium, and has promoted the Minority Biomedical Research
Support Program. In 2001, she received the National Institutes Health Extramural Associates Award that provides
funding for pilot projects and has contributed to a 300% increase in external funding to the college.
Dean Lindsey has been a CCAS member since 2002, has attended several CCAS workshops, is the co-chair of
the CCAS Cultural Diversity Committee, has presented on CCAS panel sessions including multiple strategies for
promoting faculty to the deanship and industry partnerships. For the 2007 and 2008 CCAS Conferences, she coorganized the post-conference leadership forums for assistant/associate deans.
Margaret (Peg) McManus
La Salle University
Ron Nowaczyk
University of New Haven
Michael Plater
North Carolina A & T State University
Barbara S. Romzek
University of Kansas
Margaret (Peg) McManus has served as the Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at
La Salle University since 2003. Previously she served as the Interim Dean and as the Associate Dean for
Graduate Studies in the School. Earlier she served as the Director of the M.S. Computer Information Science
program and the M. S. Information Technology Leadership program which she co-developed. She earned
a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Immaculata College, an M.S. in Computer Science from The
Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Computer and Information Sciences from Temple University.
She also participated in Harvard University’s Higher Education Management Development Program. She has
attended CCAS meetings since 1998 and has been active in its programming for the last five years. She has
organized or participated in panel presentations on the STEM pipeline, international initiatives, assessment,
leadership development, and metropolitan outreach, and she has chaired a case study session.
Dr. McManus’ higher education interests focus on interdisciplinary programs and courses, international
education, service learning, and STEM education. Her scholarly interests include strategic planning of academic
information technology in higher education, electronic collaboration technologies, and computer supported
collaborative learning. She is an advocate for the integration of technology in higher education to enhance active
learning and is highly involved in the information technology professional and educational communities.
Ron Nowaczyk has served as the Dean of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Haven since
2006. During this period the college is experiencing record growth in enrollment and a renewed interest in
scholarship. He has a BA in Psychology from Northwestern University and his MA and PhD in Psychology
from Miami University (Ohio). Dean Nowaczyk began his career at Clemson University, where he spent
21 years. During that time, he was active in interdisciplinary research in applied cognitive psychology with
faculty from engineering and the sciences and is the author of two books in addition to research articles. He
served as psychology department chair at East Carolina University (ECU) in North Carolina for four years.
He led the department in the planning of its first doctorate in health psychology. During his tenure at ECU,
Dr. Nowaczyk was an ACE Fellow (2001-2002) spending his year working at the University of Delaware in
the President’s and Provost’s Offices. Upon returning to ECU, he assumed the responsibilities of Associate
Vice Chancellor for Economic and Community Development. He serves on the investment committee of the
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society and on the Council of ACE Fellows.
Dean Nowaczyk has been a member of CCAS since becoming dean and participated in the dean’s
seminar on fiscal issues and the Washington Seminar. He has also been on the programs at this year’s and last
year’s annual meetings. As Dean, he has sent chairs to the CCAS chair workshop and values the professional
development initiatives of CCAS. He will be a co-presenter at the upcoming CCAS seminar on fiscal issues
scheduled for early next year.
As Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of History, Michael Plater provides
leadership for the largest College/School at North Carolina A & T State University. He manages a faculty
and staff of 400 people in thirteen academic departments, and five affiliated academic programs (University
Bands, University Gallery, WNAA radio station, A&T Register Newspaper, and the Greensboro Area
Mathematics and Science Education Center (GAMSEC). In 06-07 the College received $5,378,363 in
extramural funding, which is an 81 percent increase over the previous year. In the area of scholarship, faculty
(200) produced 377 scholarly presentations/performances/shows and peer reviewed publications during 06-07
and attended 332 professional development activities.
Prior to joining North Carolina A & T State University Dr. Plater was Associate Dean for the Graduate
School at Brown University. Before coming to Brown, Dr. Plater taught the “capstone” Business Policy/
Strategic Management class in the M.B.A. program and the introductory undergraduate management course
at the University of Florida. He received his Ph.D. from The College of William and Mary. Earlier he earned
a M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard University.
Dean Plater served as moderator for the 2007 Webinar on Information Technology and as a luncheon table
facilitator, and he will be the co-director of the CCAS Deans & Development Seminar in March 2009.
Barbara S. Romzek is Associate Dean of Social Sciences and Behavioral in the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences at the University of Kansas and as Professor in its nationally-ranked Public Administration
Department. She has served as Associate Dean since 2000 and as interim dean of the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences for 2005-06. Dr. Romzek’s leadership roles have included directing KU’s re-accreditation
review by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, serving as University Liaison to the
U.S. Army’s Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth (Kansas), co-chairing the University’s Strategic
Planning Task Force on institutional outreach, and serving on the Gender Issues Subcommittee for the KU
Athletics Department’s NCAA Recertification review.
Dr. Romzek is a nationally recognized expert in the area of public management and accountability. She
has published three books and numerous social science articles. She is a Fellow of the National Academy of
Public Administration and has received research awards from the American Society for Public Administration
and the American Political Science Association. She has served on committees and governing boards
for the Academic of Management, American Political Science Association, American Society for Public
Administration, International City and County Management Association, among others. She has served on the
Research Universities Committee of CCAS since 2006 and currently chairs that committee.
For the Board of Directors continued
Gregory M. Sadlek
Cleveland State University
E. Gary Shapiro
Central Michigan University
Vickie Shields
Eastern Washington University
Gregory M. Sadlek has served as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at
Cleveland State University in Cleveland since 2005. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Northern Illinois
University and an M.A. from Eastern Illinois University. He also holds a B.A. in philosophy from Quincy
University. A specialist in medieval English language and literature, he has published twenty articles or notes.
Before arriving at Cleveland State, he taught at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Hamilton College,
and the Université de Nantes, France. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he served at various times
as Chairperson of the English Department, Faculty Senate President, and President of the local chapter of
the American Association of University Professors. At Cleveland State University he has served on the
administration’s collective bargaining team and has been dedicated to improving, among other things, his
college’s strategic planning, communications, and international programs. He has, for example, worked not
only to establish a new Slovenian Studies Center (based on a grant from the Slovenian government) but also to
build ties to the Université de Rouen, located in Cleveland’s new French sister city, and Chung Ang University
in Seoul, Korea. He has served on the Board of Directors of Cleveland’s Town Hall Lecture Series since 2006.
Since becoming dean, he has been active in CCAS, having participated in the 2005 New Deans’ Seminar
and having chaired the Committee for Metropolitan/Urban Institutions for the past two years. Dr. Sadlek has
also been active with the Council for Arts and Sciences in Urban Universities and served as Program Director
for its annual meeting in 2008.
E. Gary Shapiro is the founding Dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral
Sciences at Central Michigan University and has served as dean since July 1997. He has been at Central
Michigan University since 1978. Dr. Shapiro taught in CMU’s Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work
Department from 1978 to 1989 where he was promoted to professor before taking administrative positions
with the university. He was appointed Director of Institutional Research in 1989, Assistant Vice Provost for
Institutional Research and Planning in 1993, and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1995.
He also served as Interim Registrar in 1994-95 and as Interim Provost during 2007.
Before coming to CMU, Dean Shapiro was a member of the sociology faculty at the University of
Iowa. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Michigan in 1972. He also holds a M.
A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan and received a B.S. degree from Wayne State University
with majors in Math and Sociology. He has published articles in the areas of reward allocations in groups,
preferences for job rewards, help-seeking behavior, gambling behavior, and student evaluation of instruction.
He has taught classes in the areas of social psychology, research methods and statistics, organizations, and the
sociology of gambling.
Dr. Shapiro has been a member of CCAS since 1995 and has attended all but one of its annual meetings
(his son’s wedding overlapped with that year’s meetings). He has presented on panels at CCAS meetings and
served as a facilitator at the 2006 CCAS Seminar for New Deans.
Vickie Shields has served as Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Eastern
Washington University since August 2005, where she is also a Professor of Communication Studies. Prior
to moving to Washington State she served as Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green State
University between 2001-2005 where she was in charge of faculty, curriculum and General Education reform.
She has also held the position of Director of Women’s Studies at Bowling Green State University between
1998-2001. She received her BA from Boise State University and her MA and PhD degrees from the Ohio
State University, all in Communication. In 2005 she completed the Management Development Program at the
Harvard Graduate School of Education. A feminist media scholar, she writes from a cultural perspective on
gender and media content and media audiences specifically in the areas of advertising, television and film.
Dean Shields has been an active member of CCAS for 6+ years and has participated in the annual
meetings, the Fiscal Issues Seminar, Media and Marketing Seminar and the Washington Seminar. Each year
she sends her new Chairs and Directors to the CCAS Seminar for New Chairs. She has served as a panel
participant and organizer in the areas of assessment, general education reform and the merits of leadership
institutes such as the Harvard MDP program. She is an active advocate for the “liberally educated citizen”
approach to higher education. She considers CCAS the most vital source of her own professional development
as a Dean and would look forward to being part of its leadership team.