R. William Funk & Associates Recruits Dean for University of Louisville
March 27, 2023 – R. William Funk & Associates has helped to recruit Dayna Touron as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for the University of Louisville (UofL) in Kentucky. Dr. Touran is associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and psychology professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She will begin her new role July 1, pending approval by the UofL board of trustees. Dr. Touron replaces interim dean David Owen; he was selected as interim dean after Kimberly Leonard stepped down in 2019.
Dr. Touron was among five candidates selected from various universities, including Western Kentucky University and Howard University. The university said that the search emphasized a candidate that is able to “articulate and execute a coherent vision for the future of the College of Arts and Sciences; bolster its financial standing through development, programmatic growth, and funded research; provide robust support for staff and faculty; and prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion across the college, while strengthening internal and external partnerships.”
“The College of Arts & Sciences at UofL empowers students with a greater understanding of the world we live in,” said Dr. Touron. “I believe strongly in the teacher-scholar model of higher education and the inclusion of students in a climate of belonging, contemplation, discovery, and real-life application. I am very excited to serve as the next dean of this diverse and dynamic college.”
Well Qualified
Dr. Touron received her bachelor’s degree from Maryville College, her master’s and doctorate from Syracuse University, and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a professor of psychology whose research in cognitive psychology focuses on metacognition and memory in older adulthood.
Dr. Touron’s research focuses on cognition and aging. More specifically, she studies the strategies older adults use to complete cognitive tasks and how older adults’ cognitive abilities and metacognitive knowledge influence their strategic approach.
Founded in 1798, the University of Louisville is a state supported research university located in Kentucky’s largest metropolitan area. The university has three campuses. The 287-acre Belknap Campus is three miles from downtown Louisville and houses seven of the university’s 11 colleges and schools. The Health Sciences Center is situated in downtown Louisville’s medical complex and houses the university’s health related programs and the University of Louisville Hospital. The 243-acre Shelby Campus is located in eastern Jefferson County.
Related: R. William Funk & Associates Assists University of South Carolina in the Recruitment of President
The College of Arts and Sciences, established in 1907, is UofL’s largest academic unit. It offers a diverse range of opportunities from over 30 departments and programs in the natural and physical sciences, the social and behavioral sciences, and the arts and humanities.
Higher Education Specialists
R. William Funk & Associates is an executive search firm specializing in higher education executive recruitment. The firm has recruited chancellors/presidents for two-thirds of all public AAU universities. The firm has also recruited presidents or chancellors to more than one-half of U.S. News & World Report’s recently published “Top 30 National Universities.” Over time, it has conducted more than 425 searches for college and university presidents and chancellors as well as an even greater number of provosts, deans, and various vice presidents.
The firm has been recognized by the Women’s Network of the American Council on Education (ACE) for its work in recruiting women and minorities to senior levels of higher education. Notably, the search firm has broken the color and/or gender line in president searches at more than 40 institutions around the country, making in one of the most highly sought after search firms across the sector.
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In October, R. William Funk & Associates assisted in the recruitment of Kenneth A. Jessell as president of Florida International University (FIU).
FIU’s presidential search committee spent months working with the search firm to identify, recruit, and interview candidates. The search firm communicated with approximately 186 individuals regarding the position. From this group, more than 70 individuals submitted their documents to be considered by the search committee. Dr. Jessell was chosen from a highly qualified pool of 12 individuals that the presidential search committee interviewed. Nine of the 12 were sitting, past, or interim presidents.
Prior to serving as interim president, Dr. Jessell was FIU’s senior vice president for finance and administration and CFO for 13 years. He also is a professor of finance in the College of Business Administration at FIU. Prior to his time at FIU, Dr. Jessell served as senior vice president for financial affairs at Florida Atlantic University.
Related: R. William Funk & Associates Assists Florida International University with President Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
