April 19, 2021

Open forums set with College of Health and Human Sciences dean finalists

Five candidates for dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will meet with constituents during a series of virtual forums, beginning Thursday, April 22.

The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

  • Edmund Acevedo, associate dean for strategic initiatives, College of Humanities and Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University.
  • Scott Collins, interim dean, College of Health and Human Sciences, SIU Carbondale.
  • Scott Gordon, interim dean, Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University.
  • Jay Hoffman, professor, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Ariel University, Israel.
  • Robert Morgan, professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University.

Learn about candidates’ visions and goals

During their respective forums, each candidate will discuss their vision and goals for the college. Each of the candidates will participate in two open forums – one for faculty and staff, followed by one for students. A Q&A will follow each of the presentations. 

The forums give university students, staff and faculty an opportunity to meet with the candidates and ask questions about their proposed approaches to the position. The open forums are in conjunction with each of the candidates’ interviews. 

The open forum schedule is:

Edmund Acevedo

Jay Hoffman

Robert Morgan

Scott Collins

Scott Gordon

You can participate in the forums via the Chancellor’s YouTube channel. 

Dean has numerous responsibilities 

The dean is the chief academic and administrative officer for the College of Health and Human Sciences and reports to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

The dean works with the faculty and staff in the development and maintenance of the college’s programs and policies and is responsible for its academic programs, fiscal management, personnel, external relations, recruitment and retention, among other areas. Each candidate must have an outstanding record as a teacher and scholar and a strong record of academic leadership and administrative experience.

Candidates bring varied experiences to the position

Brief summaries of each candidates’ academic appointments and education are below.

Acevedo has been associate dean for strategic initiatives in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2020 and is a professor of kinesiology and health sciences. At VCU since 2006, Acevedo has held prior administrative appointments as interim associate dean for finance and administration, associate dean for graduate studies and strategic initiatives, and kinesiology and health sciences department chair. He began in 1989 as an assistant professor at William Patterson University and has prior academic appointments at the University of Mississippi, Oxford; Southeastern Louisiana University; the University of New Orleans and Kansas State University. 

He earned his doctorate in the area of psychology of exercise and sport from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master’s degree in physiology of exercise from the University of Maryland. Acevedo earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in psychology from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

Collins has been interim dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences since July 2020 and is a professor in the radiologic sciences program. Collins has been with SIU Carbondale since 1999 and has been director of the School of Allied Health/School of Health Sciences since 2014. His appointments include program director for the radiation therapy and medical dosimetry programs. Collins started with SIU as a visiting instructor and earned professor status in 2013.  

Collins earned his doctorate and master’s degrees in workforce education and development from SIU Carbondale. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health care management from SIU and associate degrees in allied health careers and radiologic technology, also from SIU. He also earned a radiation therapy certificate from Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis. 

Gordon has served as interim dean of Kennesaw State University’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services since May 2020, where he is also a professor of exercise science. He was the college’s associate dean from 2017 to 2020 and interim executive director of the college’s Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth from February 2018 to August 2018. From 2012 to 2017, Gordon was professor and chair of the kinesiology department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He also held academic appointments in kinesiology at East Carolina University from 2001 to 2012.

Gordon earned his doctorate in physiology and master’s degree in exercise physiology from The Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bowdoin College. He also did postdoctoral work in physiology and molecular biology from the University of Texas Medical School and the University of Missouri. 

Hoffman has been a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Ariel University in Israel since 2019. Previously, he served as department chair in education and human sciences at University of Central Florida, where he held the rank of professor of sport and exercise science from 2010 to 2019. His prior academic appointments include professor and chair in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey. 

Hoffman earned his doctorate in applied physiology from University of Connecticut and his master’s degree, also in applied psychology, from Queens College. He received his bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine/athletic administration from St. John’s University. 

Morgan has been the John G. Skelton, Jr. Regents Endowed Professor in Psychology at Texas Tech University since 2011 and chair of the university’s Department of Psychological Services since 2015. He has held previous appointments at the university as associate department chair and director of the Institute of Forensic Sciences and has been with the university since 2000. 

Morgan earned his doctorate in counseling psychology at Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Fort Hays State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. 

Candidates’ full CVs and open forum review forms are available on the provost’s website.