Dr. Susan Willis, interim vice president for academic affairs
Numerous academic transitions have been announced at Rogers State University for the spring 2025 semester.
Chief among these is the naming of Dr. Susan Willis as the interim vice president for academic affairs. Willis previously served as academic dean.
Willis’s appointment follows the retirement of former VPAA Dr. Richard Beck, who retired from the position in December, after serving more than 16 years in that capacity.
According to RSU Interim President Dr. Mark Rasor, Willis will serve in this new role until a permanent replacement has been chosen, which he hopes to have selected by March.
With Willis’s new role as interim VPAA, her position as academic dean will be reverting to individual deans for the two colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Professional Studies.
Dr. Frank Elwell
“Beginning with the start of the spring 2025 semester, I have asked Dr. Frank Elwell to assume the duties of interim dean of the College Arts and Sciences,” Rasor said. “Rebekah Chamberlain will assist Dr. Elwell with administrative assistant duties in addition to her current role in the Department of Psychology and Sociology.
“In addition, Dr. Todd Jackson, chair of the Department of Business, has accepted an appointment to serve as interim dean of the College of Professional Studies,” he continued. “Dr. Amy Evans will serve as interim chair in the Department of Business.”
Elwell is professor of sociology and has taught at RSU since 2000. Chamberlain serves as administrative assistant in the Department of Psychology and Sociology.
Jackson is professor of business and has served as chair for the Department of Business, serving at RSU since 2013. Evans is assistant professor of business at RSU.
Dr. Todd Jackson
“After seven years as a dean at RSU, the role of Interim VPAA is one I am honored to fill,” Willis said. “Dr. Jackson and Dr. Elwell will provide excellent leadership as deans of our colleges, and Dr. Rasor and the other VP’s are so supportive of our vision for the future of academics at RSU.”
The position announcement for dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will be posted in mid-January and the announcement for dean of the College of Professional Studies will be posted once the search for a new vice president for academic affairs has been completed.
“I am thrilled about this opportunity to take a broader role in the development, growth, and support of RSU’s business, health sciences, technology, and justice studies programs and to promote RSU’s status as a quality institution of higher learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Jackson said. “I look forward to working with the department heads, associate dean, and faculty of the College of Professional Studies in the pursuit of several exciting opportunities that exist across the spectrum of our disciplines.”
Ewell echoed Jackson’s sentiments.
“I am honored to be appointed as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences,” Ewell said. “As a true believer in the value of a broad education, I will strive to keep our degrees and general education program strong while the College conducts a search for their new dean.”
Rasor said he has complete confidence in the appointees to provide theneeded academic leadership to continue to move the university forward, and thanks each of them for their acceptance of their new additional roles.