OFFICE OF THE DEAN | BUCHTEL COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Dean Mitchell S. McKinney
A renowned political communication scholar, Mitchell S. McKinney, Ph.D., is dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.
McKinney joined °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ from the University of Missouri, where he served as professor of communication and director and founder of the Political Communication Institute.
During his tenure at Missouri, he was appointed to several academic leadership positions, including director of graduate studies, and both associate department chair and chair of the Department of Communication, one of MU’s largest academic units. He also served as Faculty Fellow for academic affairs in the Office of the Provost.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences” McKinney said. “Colleges of Arts and Sciences serve as the intellectual core of the university; and during such challenging times for higher education, I’m eager to begin my partnership with the outstanding faculty and staff in education, fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and the natural sciences as we serve our students and the Akron and Northeast Ohio communities through our instruction, research and creative endeavors, and engagement activities. I’m anxious to begin work with my °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ dean colleagues and other senior campus leadership as we continue building one of our nation’s truly exceptional urban research universities.”
Email Dean McKinney: mmckinney@uakron.edu
Office directory
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION
Bill Lyons, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Faculty Support, and
Professor of Political Science
330-972-5855 wtlyons@uakron.edu
Nidaa Makki, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for
Research & Graduate Studies, and Professor of Education 330-972-6955
nm32@uakron.edu
Ann Usher, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies, and
Professor of Music 330-972-6923
ausher@uakron.edu
Heather Walter, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Student Success
330-972-6486
HLWalter@uakron.edu
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Gary Bishop
Director of Operations & Technology
330-972-6142
gbishop@uakron.edu
Lisa Craig, M.A.
Director, Communication and Marketing
330-972-7429
lmc91@uakron.edu
Ashley Rini, M.S.
Director, Advising
Director, Pre-Health Advising
330-972-6513
rini@uakron.edu
Donray J. Bennett, M.Ed.
Director of Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships
dbennett@uakron.edu
Vivian Campbell, M.S.A.
Director of Finance and Research Support
330-972-8128
vgc1@uakron.edu
FACULTY FELLOWS
Dimitria Gatzia, Ph.D.
Faculty Fellow for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging
330-972-5505
degatzia@uakron.edu
OFFICE STAFF
Martha Reynolds
Manager, Administrative Services & Personnel
330-972-7857
martha2@uakron.edu
Laura Bonko
Program Specialist
330-972-2632
lmbonko@uakron.edu
Dawn Bishop
Program Specialist
330-972-6323
drb7@uakron.edu