Dr. R. Duncan Pelly has been appointed as the new Dean, College of Business & Industry at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith effective August 10, 2026. Dr. Pelly is an academic leader with deep international experience in accreditation, entrepreneurship, corporate partnerships, and regional economic development. He comes to UAFS from Fisk University, where he served as Co-Dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Business, and Mathematics, Cal Turner Endowed Chair of Business Administration, and tenured professor. His leadership has included work supporting faculty research, institutional advancement and administration, student affairs, budgeting, hiring, enrollment, and student retention. Prior positions include leadership roles at McMurry University and California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Pelly holds a Ph.D. from EM Lyon Business School in France and a BA in International Relations, French, and German from the University of Pennsylvania. Read more.
Dr. Silke Spiesshoefer has been appointed as the new Department Head of Engineering in the College of Business and Industry at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. Dr. Spiesshoefer will officially begin her new role on August 10, 2026. Dr. Spiesshoefer most recently served as CFO, COO, and Contracting Director at Ozark Integrated Circuits, Inc. in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she advanced from Director of Product Development into executive leadership over the course of seven years. Dr. Spiesshoefer is an active leader in the engineering profession, most recently serving on the IEEE Region 5 Awards Committee, the IEEE USA Awards & Recognition Committee, and the IEEE MGA Awards & Recognition Committee. She has previously served as Chair of the IEEE Ozark Section and in multiple leadership roles within IEEE Region 5. She is also an active member of ASEE, AIChE, IEEE HKN, and IEEE WIE. Dr. Spiesshoefer earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, her Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Microelectronics-Photonics, all from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University in St. Louis.
Dr. Jennifer Bonds-Raacke has been appointed as the new President and CEO at the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR). Dr. Bonds-Raacke currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs for the Board. Prior to her work at KBOR, she served as President of Saint Martin's University. Previous leadership roles include Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at St. Norbert College and Dean of the Graduate School and Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects at Fort Hays State University. Dr. Bonds-Raacke earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Kansas State University and her B.A. in Psychology from Christian Brothers University. Read more.
Dr. Leanne Frost has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer/Dean at Great Falls College Montana State University. Dr. Frost has served as Executive Director of Instruction and Student Success at Great Falls College MSU since 2020 and has held various leadership roles with the college since 2011. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Brigham Young University in 1991, a Master of Education and a Master of Reading from Montana State University in 2005, and a Doctorate in Adult and Higher Education from Montana State University in 2017. Dr. Frost will assume her duties at Great Falls College on August 2, 2026. Read more.
Dr. Jon Anderson has been appointed as the new President at Utah Valley University. He will assume his duties at Utah Valley University on August 10, 2026. Since 2024, Dr. Anderson has served as the President of Pennsylvania Western University. Previously, from 2020 to 2024, he was the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Southern Utah University. A Utah native, Dr. Anderson received his B.S. in Sociology from Utah State University, an M.Ed. in Business Education from the University of West Georgia, and his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky. Read more.
Dr. Ramon Arrowsmith has been appointed as the new Director, School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University. He began his appointment on July 1, 2026. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Arrowsmith served as the Interim Director of SESE. He has been at Arizona State University since 1995 and earlier held administrative positions in SESE including Deputy Director, Associate Director for Operations, and Associate Director for Graduate Studies. Dr. Arrowsmith teaches field geology, structural geology, geomorphology, and computers in earth and space exploration and has led many short courses, workshops, and visioning activities emphasizing high resolution topographic data and tectonic geomorphology. He and his students conduct research on active faulting, earthquake geology, tectonic geomorphology, and the geologic framework for human origins. He is also a Research Affiliate for the Institute of Human Origins. Dr. Arrowsmith earned his Ph.D. in Geological and Environmental Sciences from Stanford University and his B.A. degree in Geology and Spanish from Whittier College.
Mr. Mark Flower has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer at St. Joseph's University, New York. He will begin his duties in mid-August. Since 2014, Mr. Flower has been part of the Business and Finance Team at the City University of New York - John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He began as the Business Manager and has served as the VP for Finance and Administration and Chief Operating Officer since 2020. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Drew University, a Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from NYU Polytechnic University, and a Master of Science in Management of Technology from Stony Brook University.
Mr. Brent Gustafson has been appointed as the new Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at University of San Francisco effective July 20, 2026. Mr. Gustafson has more than 20 years of senior financial and administrative leadership experience in higher education and public service, most recently serving as associate vice president and chief budget officer at Oregon State University (OSU). Prior to that, he served as vice president for finance and administration at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He holds an M.P.P. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a B.A. in Political Science and Social Studies from Hamline University. Read more.
Dr. Stephen Rossi has been appointed as the new Dean of Health Sciences at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Rossi, currently the Senior Associate Dean of the Waters College of Health Professions and Professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University, will assume his new duties on July 13, 2026. As Senior Associate Dean, Dr. Rossi leads institutional effectiveness, curriculum innovation, faculty affairs, student success, and assists with budget planning and financial oversight. He has co-authored numerous highly cited studies in sports science, particularly focusing on periodization models, strength training, and hydration in collegiate athletes. He earned his Ph.D. in health, leisure, and human performance from Oklahoma State University, an M.S. in exercise science from Appalachian State University, and a B.S. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Read more.