January 18, 2008

Adler appointed GSW vice president of academic affairs

AMERICUS—Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) President Kendall A. Blanchard, Ph.D., today announced that Brian U. Adler, Ph.D., dean of the graduate school at Valdosta State University (VSU), has been named vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty (VPAA). Following a nationwide search, Adler will replace Interim VPAA William L. Tietjen, Ph.D. Adler’s position will begin June 2008.

“I am pleased and honored to be offered the position, and I look forward to serving with the wonderful faculty, staff and students at Georgia Southwestern,” said Adler. “The University is clearly at a unique juncture in its history, full of potential and possibilities, and I am excited to be part of the process as we work at growing GSW and moving it to the next level.”

“Dr. Adler comes to GSW with a wide range of academic accomplishment and administrative experience,” said Blanchard. “We are confident he will play a key role in our efforts to grow the enrollment at the graduate and undergraduate levels. We are excited that he is joining our administrative team.”

Dean of Valdosta State’s Graduate School since 2005, Adler has been instrumental in adding eight new graduate programs, with three currently under development; completion and retention rates have improved by 15%; and applications to the Graduate School have increased by 27%. Presently, the School includes 45 graduate programs, with four doctoral degrees, across five colleges.

Prior to his tenure as dean, Adler served as acting dean from 2004 to 2005, preceded by his time as administrative head of VSU’s Philosophy and Religious Studies Department (Spring and Summer 2004) and director of the Honors Program. A position he held from 1994 to 2004.

From 1992 to 1994, Adler was the chair of the English Department at Marian College in Indianapolis, Indiana. He joined the faculty at Marian in 1989, working as the coordinator of the Journalism Program.

With interests in ethnic literature and the literature of war, Adler has written 20 published articles. He has authored over eighty reviews of critical works focused on literature of war and Jewish American literature.

Adler has secured a number of grants and honors. He played a vital part in landing a $100,000 grant administered by the University System of Georgia in conjunction with VSU’s College of Education for five on-line graduate programs. In addition, he is an active member of several advisory groups and committees at the state and national level. In August 2007, Adler was nominated to the Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools.

Adler earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

- GSW -