KOKOMO, Ind. —The Indiana University Board of Trustees approved promotions and tenure for faculty members on the Kokomo campus.
To achieve this honor, faculty are evaluated on their teaching, research and creative work, and service to the campus and community.
Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke congratulated Paul Cook, Christopher Darr, Christina Downey, Yan He, Tara Kingsley, Lance Mason, and Niki Weller on their accomplishments.
“These faculty are being recognized for their leadership as teachers and scholars, she said. “These well-deserved promotions recognize their excellent teaching, research, and scholarship. It is a great accomplishment to achieve promotion and tenure at IU Kokomo, and I commend them on this distinction.”
Those receiving promotions included:
• Christopher Darr, professor of communication arts. He joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2006. Darr earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University, Master of Arts from Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia; and Bachelor of Science from West Virginia State College. He has received the Trustees Teaching Award, the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Student Government Association’s outstanding educator award. He is a member of the Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching and Learning (FACET), and currently is chair of the communication and performing arts program.
• Christina Downey, professor of psychology. She currently serves as assistant vice chancellor for the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Success. Downey earned her Ph.D. and Master of Science in clinical psychology from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with highest distinction from Purdue University. She joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2007. She’s received the Trustee’s Teaching Award, the Amicus Award, and a member of FACET.
Those earning promotion and tenure included:
• Paul Cook, associate professor of English. He joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2012, and serves as director of writing. He earned a Ph.D. in English from University of South Carolina, Columbia; a Master of Arts in English from Auburn University, Alabama; and a Bachelor of Arts in English cum laude from Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina. He is an inductee into the inaugural IU Kokomo Student Success Academy, and has received two grant-in-aid faculty development grants for scholarly research.
• Yan He, associate librarian. She has served as information literacy librarian at IU Kokomo since 2012. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Beijing Normal University, and a Master of Science in Chemistry from Peking University, both in China. She completed a Master of Library Science and chemical information specialist degree from Indiana University. She was selected for the prestigious Association of College and Research Libraries immersion program in Vermont, received an IU Trustees Teaching Award, and the Herbert S. and Virginia White Professional Development Award from IU Libraries.
• Tara Kingsley, associate professor of education. Kingsley joined the IU faculty in 2012. She earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Purdue University, and a Master of Education in elementary education and reading from Ball State University, and a Ph.D. in elementary education, technology, reading, and research from Ball State. Kingsley received the President’s Award for Teaching and Learning with Technology, the IU Trustees Teaching Award, and the Teaching with Canvas Pioneer award for IU Regional Campuses.
• Lance Mason, associate professor of education. He joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2013. Mason earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and teaching certification from the University of Michigan, Dearborn, a Master of Arts in Social Foundations of Education, cultural studies track, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction: language, culture, and society from Penn State University, College Station. He has received the IU Trustees Teaching Award and a Mosaic Faculty Fellowship.
• Niki Weller, associate professor of sociology. Weller joined the IU Kokomo faculty in 2012, and is coordinator of the Department of Sociology. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from University of Minnesota, a Master of Arts in Political Science from University of Colorado, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Arizona State University. She has received a Trustees Teaching Award, a Women of the Well House grant, and several applied learning grants.
Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.