PULLMAN Yolanda Flores Niemann, professor of comparative ethnic studies and special assistant for accreditation and distance education to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Washington State University, has been named as the new dean for the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Utah State University, where she will assume her new duties on July 1.
“I am thrilled about attaining the deanship at Utah State, which is a fine land-grant university along with Washington State,” Flores Niemann said.
Since joining WSU in 1996, Flores Niemann has served as chair of the Department of Comparative Ethic Studies, as director of the Latino outreach for the university and as assistant to the provost overseeing outreach and faculty affairs.
As special assistant to the dean of WSU’s College of Liberal Arts, she has been responsible for working with the Distance Degree Program on budgeting and course revision and for working with a team to develop an online Master of Liberal Studies degree. She also led the college in assessment reporting and self studies in preparation for university reaccreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
“Yolanda is a talented administrator with a varied and impressive portfolio of accomplishments,” said Paul Whitney, associate dean for research for the WSU College of Liberal Arts. “More recently, her diligence and leadership put the college well on its way to being prepared for accreditation. I think USU is fortunate to have her as a dean.”
“We are thrilled that Dr. Flores Niemann has accepted the offer to join our academic executive leadership team,” said Raymond T. Coward, USU executive vice president and provost, in announcing the appointment. “She is an experienced scholar who brings many talents to her new responsibilities as dean of this important and valued college.”
“I would not have accomplished this achievement without the development opportunities I have been afforded at Washington State, where I have been able to grow and thrive for eleven great years,” Flores Niemann said, “I’ve had terrific mentors and role models at WSU, as well as great friends. I am very grateful for my time as a member of this wonderful university. A large part of my heart will always remain a Coug.”
Flores Niemann earned her doctoral degree at the University of Houston in 1992. Her research interests include study on stereotype, tokenism, and overcoming obstacles to Latina/o higher education.
She was the principal investigator of a $12 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Through that grant and a second similarly funded award, an innovative public school intervention program was designed and implemented to prepare middle and high school students for success in higher education.
The program currently serves about 10,000 students in seven rural and agricultural school districts in Central and Eastern Washington State, where at least half of the student population base is of low socio-economic status.
Flores Niemann is the author, with Tatcho Mindiola and Nestor Rodriguez, of “Black/Brown Relations and Stereotypes” (University of Texas Press, 2002), “Chicana Leadership” (University of Nebraska Press, 2002), numerous journal articles and book chapters. She has been an American Council on Education Fellow, served on the executive committee for the Division of the Study of Ethnic Minority Issues of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Washington State Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs.
