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College Leadership
Harry E. Preble Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Ruth V. Watkins
As dean, Dr. Watkins provides leadership for the academic mission of the college.
She joined the faculty of the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Illinois in 1993. She served as associate dean for academic and research affairs in the College of Applied Health Sciences from 2000-2003, and in the Office of the Provost as associate provost from 2003-2006 and vice provost 2006-2008.
Dr. Watkins’ scholarship focuses on communication development and disabilities, including prevention of disability in populations who are at risk. Her research and training programs have been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education, and she has received recognition for teaching excellence at departmental and college levels.
Assistant to the Dean
Paula Adametz Hays
Ms. Hays assists in the day-to-day operations of the college and guiding the implementation of policies and procedures. She also manages the office and provides oversight for civil service employment issues collegewide. Paula is an alumna of the college having received her BA in economics.
Associate Dean
Karen Carney
Dr. Carney has responsibility for issues related to LAS courses and degree programs. She earned her BA in English from John Carroll University and holds MA and PhD degrees in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She joined the college as an associate dean in 2006.
Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs
Barbara Hancin-Bhatt
Dr. Hancin-Bhatt provides leadership for the college’s undergraduate academic affairs, including admissions, academic progress advising, and special programs in honors, international programs, access and achievement, and our first-year experience, LAS 101. The academic affairs office also coordinates and supports departmental advising across the college. Dr. Hancin-Bhatt’s research and teaching specializations are in second language acquisition and global studies, and she holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Linguistics.
Interim Director for International Programs
Laura Hastings
Laura Hastings supports the college’s internationalization efforts, managing the undergraduate Global Studies program and LAS Courses Abroad and drafting international agreements. She earned her PhD in political science from MIT and is a lecturer with the Department of Political Science. She had previous faculty appointments at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh and also worked to develop international competencies on these campuses.
Interim Associate Dean for Biological, Physical, and Social/Behavioral Sciences
Brian Ross
As associate dean, Dr. Ross primarily works with the college’s science departments to promote research, teaching, and public service. He is a cognitive psychologist and joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois in 1982 after receiving his PhD from Stanford University. Dr. Ross holds faculty positions in the Department of Psychology and the Beckman Institute. His research focuses on how people learn, reason, and understand in complex domains, and has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Institute of Education Sciences.
Acting Associate Dean for Humanities and Interdisciplinary Programs
Diane Musumeci
Dr. Musumeci provides support for all matters concerning faculty recruitment and retention, promotion and tenure, third-year reviews, and sabbaticals in the humanities and interdisciplinary programs. She also assists with questions concerning administrative structure and organization. Dr. Musumeci is an Illinois alumna with a PhD in Italian linguistics and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education. She served as head of the Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese from 2005-2010. Her teaching has been recognized at the college and campus levels.
Associate Dean for Instructional Technologies and Information Services
Deanna Raineri
Dr. Raineri is responsible for the instructional, research, and administrative computing needs of the college. She is also the associate director of the Illinois Informatics Institute and holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Microbiology. In her role as associate dean, she oversees ATLAS (Applied Technologies for Learning in the Arts and Sciences) and works closely with information technology managers and department heads on a variety of technology issues. Dr. Raineri earned her BSc in biochemistry and chemistry and her PhD in molecular biology from the University of Southampton, England.
Associate Dean for Administration
Matthew Tomaszewski
Mr. Tomaszewski is responsible for strategic planning; long-term planning for the renovation and repair of LAS facilities, including sustainability projects; and for space allocation. He works closely with the dean, the assistant and associate deans, and LAS departments to develop strategies for meeting the planning and space needs of LAS units. He serves as the college’s energy conservation liaison and staffs the LAS Student Advisory Committee.
Associate Dean for Advancement
Joan Volkmann
Ms. Volkmann oversees the college’s alumni relations, communications and marketing, development, and special events programs. She earned her BS in music therapy from Illinois State University and an MA in speech communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has been a member of the college’s advancement team since 1995. She received the LAS Academic Professional Award in 2010.
Director for Budget Resource Planning
Patrick Hoey
Mr. Hoey oversees the financial matters of the college, working with the dean and associate deans to develop strategies for utilizing funds to meet programmatic needs. He also oversees the processing of personnel appointments and assists units in interpreting policies and procedures related to financial and human resource issues.