Eastern Connecticut State University

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Eastern names 2 permanent deans to lead Schools of Arts & Sciences and Education & Professional Studies

by Amanda Irwin

Willimantic, CT (06/21/2022) — After conducting national searches, Emily Todd of Northampton, MA, and Niti Pandey of Willimantic, CT, have been named deans at Eastern Connecticut State University for the 2022-2023 school year.

School of Arts & Sciences

Todd will become the new Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences on July 1. She was the Founding Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Westfield State University in 2018. Prior to that dean's position, she served as chair of the Department of English from 2010 through 2018.

Todd earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Philosophy in Scottish Literature from St. Andrews University in Scotland, and a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Amherst College, where she also graduated magna cum laude.

"Dr. Todd brings a deep understanding and commitment to the liberal arts, along with her lengthy experience in public higher education at an institution that is similar to Eastern in many ways," said William Salka, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs."

School of Education and Professional Studies

Pandey is the new Dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies. Pandey joined Eastern in 2012 as an Assistant Professor in the Business Administration Department and was promoted to full professor in 2021, teaching numerous courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

She has served as the coordinator of the Master of Science in Organizational Management, coordinator of the Labor Relations and Human Resource Management major, assistant chair of the Business Administration Department, and chair of the Management and Marketing Department. Dr. Pandey was also interim dean in the school for the 2021-2022 school year following the retirement of Dr. Elizabeth Scott.

Prior to joining Eastern, Pandey was a visiting assistant professor in the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and a visiting assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Dr. Pandey has a Ph.D. and Master of Science degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Delhi.

"Dr. Pandey brings numerous strengths to this position," said Salka, "including experience working with faculty on curricular revisions, a strong knowledge of the AACSB accreditation process, and a deep understanding of our mission, our strategic plan, and the role of the School of Education and Professional Studies in both."

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 4,300 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 31 states and 10 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked as the #1 public regional university in New England by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020, 2021 and 2022 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 12 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

Media Attachments

Deans Niti Pandey (left) and Emily Todd (right)

Emily Todd

Niti Pandey

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