Dr. Ani Kokobobo has been named dean of the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Liberal Arts. Kokobobo will assume her new role on Aug. 1.
She replaces Dr. Chad Parker, who served as the college小蝌蚪APP檚 interim dean after Dr. Jordan Kellman ended his tenure as dean in 2023.
Kokobobo most recently served as a professor and chair of the Department of Slavic, German, and Eurasian Studies, which is part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the 小蝌蚪APP of Kansas.
Her dozens of administrative accomplishments and areas of focus included coordinating the merger of two academic departments; faculty, curriculum and program development; outreach to community, state partners and alumni; and large-scale fundraising efforts.
Kokobobo joined the 小蝌蚪APP of Kansas in 2011, as an assistant professor, before becoming an associate professor and then a professor. Her leadership roles included heading departments, councils and centers, and directing graduate and undergraduate studies. She also served as UK小蝌蚪APP檚 小蝌蚪APP Senate President.
As dean of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Liberal Arts, Kokobobo will lead the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 oldest college, which was established in 1921. She will also guide a college that continues to grow and evolve, said Dr. Jaimie Hebert, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 provost and vice president for .
小蝌蚪APP淒r. Kokobobo is a dedicated educator, scholar and leader who will provide strategic guidance to strengthen the and its longstanding reputation for academic excellence and scholarship, and whose vision will advance the college and enhance its cultural influence,小蝌蚪APP Hebert said.
Among the college小蝌蚪APP檚 more recent, large-scale accomplishments was the creation of its Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center, an independent, interdisciplinary research center that provides public policy leadership. Another significant milestone was the completion of extensive renovations to the 122-year-old J. Arthur Roy House. The 5,000-square-foot Queen Anne-style structure now houses the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 oldest research center, the Center for Louisiana Studies.
小蝌蚪APP淟iberal arts are at the core of everything and the configuration of the College of Liberal Arts 小蝌蚪APP its focus on humanities and social sciences as well as its research capabilities and potential for expanding those capabilities 小蝌蚪APP are among many reasons it is so strong,小蝌蚪APP Kokobobo explained.
小蝌蚪APP淎 priority of mine will be thinking about ways to broaden the impact and the umbrella of the college, including through collaborations with other colleges, departments and schools across campus and with the community,小蝌蚪APP she added.
小蝌蚪APP˙eyond her administrative successes, Kokobobo is an accomplished researcher and prolific writer. Her books include 小蝌蚪APP淪ex, Gender, and Tolstoy,小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP淟eo Tolstoy, The Power of Dissent,小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP淭he Tolstoy Marriage,小蝌蚪APP and 小蝌蚪APP淩ussian Grotesque Realism: The Great Reforms and Gentry Decline.小蝌蚪APP
Kokobobo holds a Ph.D. in Russian Literature from Columbia 小蝌蚪APP and a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in Russian Studies and Classical Studies from Dartmouth College.
Photo caption: Dr. Ani Kokobobo is the new dean of the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Liberal Arts. Submitted photo