Thirty-eight faculty earn tenure, promotion, emeritus recognition

AUGUST 28, 2020 — UTSA Academic Affairs announces the promotion of 38 faculty members, effective September 1.

Twenty faculty members have been promoted to associate professor with tenure. In accordance with UTSA’s principles guiding promotion and tenure, tenure is awarded to faculty who distinguish themselves in the areas of teaching; research, scholarship or creative activities; and service to the university and community as well as to those who further demonstrate strong potential for continued excellence in these areas.

Eleven faculty members were promoted to full professor in recognition of sustained professional accomplishment.

“Our standards for awarding tenure or promotion are commensurate with the level of academic excellence seen at our nation’s premier research institutions.”

“As the core of the university, our faculty demonstrate unwavering commitment to the success of our students and communities while developing exciting and impactful new scholarship and discoveries in their fields,” said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

“Our standards for awarding tenure or promotion are commensurate with the level of academic excellence seen at our nation’s premier research institutions,” Espy continued. “Scholarly excellence in all its varieties is a fundamental component in UTSA achieving its goals. Congratulations to these outstanding scholars on this significant professional achievement.”

PROMOTED TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WITH TENURE

• Samson Alva, Department of Economics
• Paul Ardoin, Department of English
• Megan Augustyn, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Jennifer Beavers, Department of Music
• Martha Sidury Christiansen, Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
• Langston Clark, College of Education and Human Development
• Teja Guda, Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Kathryn Henderson, Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
• Shamshad Khan, Department of Communication
• Hyoung-gon Lee, Department of Biology (from associate professor without tenure)
• Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, Department of Counseling
• Ritu Mathur, Department of Political Science and Geography
• Kathryn Mayer, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Peyman Najafirad (Paul Rad), Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security (from associate professor without tenure)
• Leslie Neely, Department of Educational Psychology
• Lucinda Nevarez, Department of Social Work
• Priya Prasad, Department of Mathematics
• Sarah Ullevig, Coordinated Program in Dietetics
• Matthew Wanat, Department of Biology
• Zijun Wang, Department of Finance (from associate professor without tenure)

PROMOTED TO PROFESSOR

• Onur Bayar, Department of Finance
• Raymond Choo, Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security
• Abraham DeLeon, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Jill Fleuriet, Department of Anthropology
• Mark Giles, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Norma Guerra, Department of Educational Psychology
• José Iovino, Department of Mathematics
• Kelly Nash, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Kristen Pellegrino, Department of Music
• Marie Tillyer, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Nicole Wicha, Department of Biology

Also this year, seven retired faculty members have been awarded emeritus status in honor of their years of valued service and contribution to the university mission.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EMERITUS

• Maricela Oliva, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

PROFESSOR EMERITUS

• Bruce Barnett, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
• Robert Baron, Department of Architecture
• Robert Cardy, Department of Management
• Ann Eisenberg, Department of Psychology
• Joachim Singelmann, Department of Demography (effective upon retirement in spring 2021)
• Jesse Zapata, Department of Counseling

— Glynda Steele