Trustees approve retirements of four faculty, five staff members

Contact: Jeanne Baron

KALAMAZOO—The retirements of four faculty members and five staff members were approved by the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees at its Jan. 22 meeting.

Trustees also signed off on one faculty resignation as well as one sabbatical leave, and updated the department affiliations of numerous faculty members to make them consistent with revised names they approved for several academic departments.

Faculty retirements

All of the faculty members who are retiring are doing so with emeritus status. Their names, positions, years of continuous service and effective dates of retirement are:

  • Larry Ahleman, master faculty specialist in chemical and paper engineering, 15 years, effective June 30, 2014
  • Dr. Peter Judd, professor of social work, 17 years, effective April 30, 2014
  • Neal Turner, faculty specialist II in finance and commercial law, 14 years, effective April 30, 2014 (change in retirement date only)
  • Dr. James Visser, associate professor of public affairs and administration, 16 years, effective Dec. 31, 2014

Staff retirements

The staff members retiring are:

  • Johan Aghdai, office technology coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences, 33 years, effective Dec. 31, 2013
  • Susan Bland, certified medical assistant in the Sindecuse Health Center, 18 years, effective Sept. 30, 2013
  • Jean Brand, custodian in building custodial and support services, 13 years, effective Dec. 31, 2013
  • Thomas Sopjes, supervisor in maintenance services, 37 years, effective Dec. 31, 2013
  • Rodney Wade, carpet cleaner in building custodial and support services, 40 years, effective Dec. 31, 2013

Other personnel matters

  • The faculty member resigning is Dr. Stacey Fitzsimmons, assistant professor of management, effective April 29, 2014
  • The sabbatical leave was granted to Dr. John Patten, industrial and entrepreneurial engineering and engineering management, effective for fall 2014