Albert Bimper has been named the new executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of North Texas.
Bimper will begin his new duties at UNT July 1.
“Dr. Bimper is an experienced administrator and dedicated scholar-educator — a combination that will make him a tremendous asset to our College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and to our university,” UNT Provost Michael McPherson said in a statement. “He has a deep knowledge of the academy and a collaborative approach that will lend themselves well to the college’s diverse array of programs. I know that with his strategic leadership, CLASS will continue to fuel creative and scholarly discovery and provide one of the best educations in the North Texas region.”
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is UNT’s largest college with more than 8,000 students, and Bimper will oversee more than 22 academic departments and programs, including anthropology, geography and the environment, media arts and political science.
UNT ‘uniquely positioned’
Bimper comes to UNT from Colorado State University, where he held numerous administrative and academic positions.
“It’s exciting to see the opportunities UNT offers as one of the most comprehensive universities in the state,” Bimper said in a statement. “The quality of the faculty, students and staff in CLASS, along with the university’s inspiring vision, make me proud to join the Mean Green family. I believe that as a Tier One public research university, UNT is uniquely positioned to address the grand challenges and possibilities of our rapidly changing world because of the interdisciplinary, 21st century liberal arts and social sciences education at its core.”
Bimper succeeds James Meernik, regents professor of political science at UNT, who has served as interim executive dean since July 2022.
At Colorado State University, Bimper was the interim chief of staff in the Office of the President, associate dean and executive director in the College of Liberal Arts, and interim director of the School of Education, while also serving as a professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies.
UNT said his administrative experience spans several areas and includes leadership roles in multiple colleges, academic affairs, student affairs, intercollegiate athletics, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
UNT is growing across North Texas and recently opened the $100 million Frisco Landing building at UNT at Frisco.
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