Professor Diedre Badejo, nine-year chair of the Pan-African Studies Department, will become the associate dean for curricular development in the College of Arts and Sciences July 31.

She will no longer serve as chair of the Pan-African Studies Department, though she will continue to teach classes.

Badejo was absent from the university for a year as an American Council on Education fellow. Professor Francis Dorsey acted as interim chair for the Pan-African Studies Department during that time, and he will continue in that position for another year.

“Badejo will be a welcome addition to the arts and sciences cabinet of deans,” Jerry Feezel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, wrote in an e-mail. “Returning to KSU from a year in the very select role of an ACE Fellow, she brings much leadership skill to our team.”

The fellowship program is a one-year mentoring program that places fellows in another university to work with presidents and other academic leaders to learn about leading a university.

Badejo said it is too early for her to make any statement regarding any policy changes she would introduce as the new associate dean due to her absence from the university.

“I’m not sure what needs to be done until I really have some time on the job,” Badejo said. “I want to see where the new provost is headed, what (Dean Feezel) is expecting, and get a chance to understand where President Lefton is going.”

Badejo said her new position will be a good opportunity to apply what she learned during the fellowship.

Badejo will replace geography professor Mary Ann Haley, who is serving as the interim associate dean.

Haley will continue teaching classes in the geography department and will also continue as director of the International Relations program, the colleges largest interdisciplinary major.

“I learned a tremendous amount about how the college operates,” Haley said. “I’ve met a lot of wonderful people.”

Contact College of Arts and Sciences reporter Tim Jacobs at [email protected].