Reason named College of Human Sciences associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs

Faculty News
By Cathy Curtis
04/09/2019

Robert Reason center has been named associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs in the College of Human Sciences. Photo by Ryan Riley

Robert Reason, a professor in the School of Education at Iowa State University, has been named associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs in the College of Human Sciences. The 3-year appointment is effective immediately.

“Bob Reason brings a solid history of leadership in student affairs and expertise in student learning outcomes which makes him a strong advocate for student excellence,” said Laura Dunn Jolly, dean and Dean’s Chair in the College of Human Sciences. “I am confident he will provide exemplary leadership for undergraduate academic affairs.”

Reason was promoted to professor in July 2014, after joining the Iowa State University faculty as an associate professor of education in July 2011.

At Iowa State, he coordinated the college student affairs program from July 2011 to July 2015 and the higher education program from July 2015 to June 2016. He also directed the Research Institute for Studies in Education from August 2012 to July 2015. He served as assistant director for scholarship, graduate education, and faculty development in the School of Education from August 2012 to June 2014, and was named associate director for research and administration in July 2015.

Reason studies how college and university policies, the campus climate, and students’ experiences in college — especially in their first year — interact to influence student outcomes.

His research centers on the Personal and Social Responsibility Inventory, an online survey that assesses how college and university environments encourage students’ sense of responsibility to themselves and their community. Since 2011, he has directed the large-scale, multi-institutional survey research project, a collaboration of Iowa State University and the Association of American Colleges and Universities.

He served as an American College Personnel Association Senior Scholar from 2012-2017 and was named a Diamond Honoree by ACPA in 2013. He was a Faculty Fellow in the National Association of Student Personnel Association from 2010 to 2013.

Reason earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Grinnell College, a master’s in counseling and student personnel from Minnesota State University in Mankato, and a Ph.D. in education from Iowa State.

In his new appointment, he succeeds Linda Serra Hagedorn who served as associate dean from January 5, 2011 until her retirement on June 30, 2018. Reason has served as interim associate dean for undergraduate academic affairs since September 2018.

“Dr. Reason brings a unique blend of professional experience and scholarly expertise to this position,” said Debra Sellers, associate dean in the College of Human Sciences, director of Human Sciences Extension and Outreach, and chair of the search committee for the undergraduate academic affairs position. Our undergraduate programs will surely benefit from his guidance and leadership.”

Key contacts

Laura Jolly, dean and Dean’s Chair of the College of Human Sciences, 515-294-5380, ljolly@iastate.edu.

Robert Reason, professor in the School of Education and associate dean for undergraduate student affairs in the College of Human Sciences, 515-294-6216, rreason@iastate.edu.

Debra Sellers, associate dean in the College of Human Sciences and director of Human Sciences Extension and Outreach, 515-294-2312, dsellers@iastate.edu.

Cathy Curtis, communications director, College of Human Sciences, 515-294-8175, ccurtis@iastate.edu.

By Cathy Curtis
News