Trustees approve retirements of three faculty, three staff members

Contact: Jeanne Baron

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The retirements of three faculty members and three staff members were approved by the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees at its April 22 meeting.

Trustees also signed off on six faculty resignations as well a change in department affiliation for one faculty member.

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:

  • Dr. Fredrick J. Dobney, professor of history, 19 years, effective Dec. 31, 2019.
  • Dr. Richard G. Long, professor of blindness and low vision studies, 17 years, effective Aug. 16, 2015 (change in effective date only).
  • Dr. Michael S. Pritchard, professor of philosophy, 52 years, effective June 30, 2020.

Staff retirements

  • Dean K. Honsberger, associate vice president for budget and planning, Office of University Budgets, 45 years, effective May 31, 2015.
  • Dr. Jan Pekarovic, research associate, Department of Chemical and Paper Engineering, 16 years, effective Jan. 6, 2015.
  • Donna St. John, associate director of admissions, Office of Admissions, 24 years, April 30, 2015.

Faculty resignations

  • Thomas W. Blackmon, master faculty specialist-clinical specialist of physician assistant, Unified Clinics, effective May 21, 2015.
  • Linda L. Powell, instructor of family and consumer sciences, effective May 2, 2015.
  • Amy Rogers, faculty specialist II-clinical specialist of nursing, effective May 5, 2015.
  • Dr. Donald D. Straube, associate professor of interdisciplinary health programs, effective March 11, 2015.
  • Dr. Sherria D. Taylor, assistant professor of family and consumer sciences, effective Aug. 16, 2015.
  • Dr. Melissa Villarreal, faculty specialist I-professional specialist of interdisciplinary health programs, effective June 30, 2015.

Change in department affiliation

  • Dr. Sarah Hill, associate professor, from the Department of Anthropology and the environmental and sustainability studies program to the environmental and sustainability studies program, effective Aug. 17, 2015.

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