Public to meet candidates for WMU Lee Honors College associate dean

Contact: Mark Schwerin

KALAMAZOO—Two finalists for associate dean of the Western Michigan University Lee Honors College will make public presentations on Monday and Wednesday, Nov. 18 and 20.

The two finalists are Dr. Helen Sharp, associate professor of speech pathology and audiology, and Jane Baas, professor and chair of the Department of Dance.

Presentation times, dates and locations

  • Dr. Helen Sharp, 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in the Lee Honors College Commons Room.
  • Jane Baas, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Lee Honors College Commons Room.
Photo of Dr. Helen Sharp.

Sharp

Helen Sharp

Sharp received a Bachelor of Science degree in human kinetics and human biology from the University of Guelph in 1988, a master's degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992, and a doctoral degree in speech and hearing science from the University of Iowa in 2000. She also obtained clinical medical ethics certification from the University of Chicago in 1995.

Sharp joined the WMU faculty as an assistant professor in 2005, after serving as assistant professor at the University of Iowa from 2003 to 2005 and visiting assistant professor at U-I from 2001 to 2003. She was promoted to WMU associate professor in 2009 and has continued to serve as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa since 2005. She also has served as a speech-language pathologist at the University of Chicago and on the clinical faculty and as a speech-language pathologist at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

Photo of Jane Baas.

Baas

Jane Baas

Baas received a Bachelor of Science degree in dance from WMU in 1978, a master's degree in dance from WMU in 1980 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in modern dance from Case Western Reserve in 1986. She also earned instructor certification in Dancer Specific conditioning on the Current Concepts Reformer.

Baas joined the WMU dance faculty as an instructor in 1981, was promoted to assistant professor in 1984, associate professor in 1989 and full professor in 2007. She was appointed department chair in 1996, returning to the dance faculty in 2001. She was reappointed department chair in 2012.