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Harik and Woods named to administrative postsAug. 2, 2006 KALAMAZOO--Dr. Bassam Harik, longtime professor of economics at Western Michigan University, has been named vice provost for budget and personnel, while veteran international affairs expert W. Wilson "Bill" Woods Jr. has been appointed interim dean of WMU's Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The two appointments were announced today by Dr. Janet I. Pisaneschi, WMU provost and vice president for academic affairs. The appointments are effective July 31, and will be brought to the WMU Board of Trustees for its approval. Both positions were previously held by Dr. Ronald Davis, who is retiring. "Both of these longtime members of the WMU community are extremely well qualified to meet the demands of these important positions," Pisaneschi said of Harik and Woods. "They have spent years honing their knowledge of the University and have great expertise in their respective fields. They have earned the respect of the University community through their many years of service to WMU." Bassam Harik, who joined the economics faculty in 1979, has served as department chair and, since 2004, has served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. A former research economist with the Arab International Bank in Cairo, Harik's specialties include money and banking and economic development. During his tenure, he coordinated research that produced three studies detailing WMU's economic impact on Kalamazoo County. Harik earned a bachelor's degree from the American University of Beirut in 1970 and master's and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University in 1973 and 1978, respectively. W. Wilson "Bill" Woods Jr. has directed operations for WMU's initiatives in the international higher education arena since 1986. His most recent title was director of international advancement for the Haenicke Institute. Woods, who earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from WMU, is an affiliate assistant professor in the Department of History and is a member of the Association of International Educators. During his tenure at WMU, he has served as director or co-director of international programs and exchange agreements with more than a dozen nations, ranging from Japan to Romania. He also has directed contract negotiations establishing WMU twinning arrangements in five nations as well as study abroad initiatives around the globe. Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu WMU News |
