UWG News Item
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Graduate School Dean assumes new interim position
June 2, 2006
CARROLLTON,
GA - Dr. Jack O. Jenkins, dean of the Graduate School and professor of
psychology at the University of West Georgia, will assume an interim position
of Special Associate to the President for Minority Affairs on July 1.
Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, president of UWG and professor of business, asked Jenkins to assume the position to coordinate all multicultural and minority affairs on campus, to help study whether changes are needed and to serve as a leader and focal point for such activities.
Jenkins, who became dean at UWG in 1987, said he would spend several months talking with faculty, staff and students to develop a strategy to more effectively address issues of multiculturalism and diversity on campus.
“It will be a time for assessment and a time for me to learn more about multicultural issues on this campus and at other universities,” said Jenkins.
Jenkins will report back to the university president on his findings. Jenkins has extensive experience in minority affairs. He has actively recruited minority students into the field of psychology and has published dozens of papers on the subject of minority affairs. He is a founding member of Black Men Encouraging Success Today (B.E.S.T), a Carrollton organization, and has chaired the B.E.S.T. youth awards program for nine years.
Jenkins has served in many organizations including chairman of the executive committee of the Minority Fellowship Program in the American Psychological Association (APA), as an active member of the APA Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs, and as president of the Black Special Interest Group in the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy. He’s also chaired the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Administrative Committee on Graduate Work and the USG Leadership Development and Minority Recruitment Seminar for a decade.
As a professor of psychology, Jenkins developed and taught
the first course on minority issues in therapy for the clinical psychology
program at the University of Georgia. At UWG, he has been an advisor for
several campus groups, including the United Voices Gospel choir for 16
years.
Jenkins said he looks forward to the responsibilities of his new role.
“I am thankful for the support of the administration and the students, faculty and staff as I begin to engage in the tasks associated with my new role,” said Jenkins.
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