Dr. Susan Gano-Phillips Appointed as Associate Dean of CAS

Dr. Susan Gano-Phillips, Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

On December 18th, 2014, the Regents of UM-Flint approved Dr. Susan Gano-Phillips as Associate Dean of the UM-Flint College of Arts & Sciences. Her appointment is retroactively effective December 1, 2014, and extends through June 30, 2018.

Professor Gano-Phillips received her B.S. degree from the University of Michigan in 1988, and her M.A. degree and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991 and 1995, respectively. She joined the faculty at the University of Michigan-Flint in 1994 as a lecturer cum assistant professor, was appointed as an assistant professor in 1995, promoted to associate professor, with tenure, in 2000, and to professor in 2011. Professor Gano-Phillips served as a research and training coordinator for the Early Childhood Development Center from 2002-03, director of the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching from 2003-07, Fulbright Scholar in general education at the City University of Hong Kong in 2008-09, acting assistant dean, College of Arts and Sciences during 2010, chair, Department of Psychology in 2012-13, and interim associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences, since July 2013.

Professor Gano-Phillips’ research interests are in the area of General Education reform and institutional change.  She has published one book, A Process Approach to General Education Reform (2010) and over a dozen refereed articles. She has also made over 30 conference presentations, and delivered almost 50 professional development workshops. Her service record is very extensive including serving on the Psychology Department’s Freeman Scholarship Committee, Graduate Program Development Committee, many faculty searches, coordinator of the Harriet M. Wall Lecture; and within the College, Executive Committee, Curriculum Committee, Academic Standards Committee, and STEM Initiatives Work Group.

Her university work has included chair of the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee, Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Budget and Strategic Planning, Ad Hoc Committee on University Admissions Standards, North Central Association Reaccreditation Self-Study Committee, and General Education Design Team and Steering Committee, to name a few.

Her professional service has included serving as editorial reviewer and/or consultant for several journals as well as for Division 2 proposals for the American Psychological Association Conference.

Says Dr. Albert Price, Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, “Susan Gano-Phillips appointment as the Associate Dean of CAS is a continuation of the leadership she has demonstrated throughout her tenure at UM-Flint. She has successfully served as the Director of the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching, Chair of the Psychology Department, an Executive Committee member, and Interim Associate Dean. My role as Interim Dean has been made greatly more enjoyable due to Susan’s administrative skill, incredible work ethic and positive attitude.”