Dear LMU Community:
I am pleased to share that Professor Richard Fox will be the next dean of the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, effective June 1, 2024. Professor Fox’s vast and intimate knowledge of LMU, dedication to the enduring role of the liberal arts and our mission to educate the whole person, coupled with his extensive academic leadership and teaching experience, will make him an excellent successor to Dean Robbin Crabtree, who completes her term at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year. I look forward to working with Professor Fox in this key leadership role.
Professor Fox, who joined LMU in 2007, currently serves LMU as a professor of political science and the director of the International Relations program. He has served in leadership roles that include associate chair and chair of Political Science and International Relations, and associate dean of BCLA. Prior to LMU, he taught political science at Union College in Schenectady, New York, for 13 years, where he was also chair of Political Science.
During his time as BCLA’s associate dean for undergraduate education, Professor Fox was instrumental in leading changes that transformed BCLA for both students and faculty, including the implementation of the university core curriculum, the launch of the BCLA Advising Center, and the transitioning of all BCLA undergraduate majors to a four-unit system. His membership on key working groups and committees, including co-chairing the Non-Tenure Track Faculty Working Group, serving on the American Council on Education Internationalization Lab Working Group on Curriculum, Co-Curriculum, and Student Learning Outcomes, and assisting me through his work on the Faculty Advisory Group to prepare for fall 2020 during the global pandemic, demonstrate his care for and willingness to support his colleagues within the BCLA and across the university.
Professor Fox earned a Bachelor of Arts in government from Claremont McKenna College and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in political science from UC Santa Barbara. He is a leading scholar in the contemporary study of gender and politics, having authored or co-authored nine books, more than 25 peer-reviewed articles, and over 20 book chapters on how gender affects political campaigns and voting behavior in the U.S. government. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, and he has won regional and national awards, such as the Marian Irish Award and the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics. He has also served on editorial boards of leading political science journals, including his current service with the American Journal of Political Science. A true teacher-scholar, Professor Fox integrates his scholarship into the classroom through his courses on “Media and Politics,” “Electoral Politics,” “Law, Politics, and Courts,” Honors Seminar, and “Introduction to U.S. Politics.” His “Congressional Politics” course uses active learning pedagogies to provide simulated experiences of the U.S. Congress for his students.
Beyond his professional pursuits, he spends countless hours monitoring political news and cooking mediocre meals (his words!), is a lifelong Lakers fan, loves exploring old Los Angeles, and fostering dogs with his son, Miles.
I thank our search committee (listed below), co-chaired by Dayle Smith, dean of LMU College of Business Administration, and Daniel Speak, professor of philosophy, for conducting a rigorous and comprehensive process that yielded a competitive and outstanding candidate pool. Their commitment and attention to detail provided me with invaluable insights during the decision-making process.
I extend my deepest thanks to Dean Robbin Crabtree for the near decade of leadership, passion, and care at BCLA and LMU. Her legacy as a champion for the liberal arts will impact students, faculty, and staff for many years to come, and I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate her accomplishments next semester.
As Dean Crabtree often says, “BCLA is the heart of LMU.” As such, it was no small feat to choose its next leader, and I feel confident that we have selected a wonderful leader to bring BCLA into its next era. Professor Fox’s dedication to providing students with the skills needed for success in their chosen career fields and in life is a testament to his embodiment of LMU’s mission to educate the whole person. Please join me in congratulating Richard.
With enthusiasm and gratitude,
Thomas Poon, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost
Search Committee
Dean, LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Co-Chairs
Dayle Smith, Dean of the LMU College of Business Administration (Committee Co-Chair)
Daniel Speak, Professor of Philosophy (Committee Co-chair)
Members
Mark Aloysius, S.J., Postdoctoral Instructor of Theological Studies
Tamara Armstrong, Vice President for Information Technology Services and CIO
José Badenes, S.J., Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures – Spanish
Christina Brooks, Senior Director for Academic Communications, Provost’s Office
Marne Campbell, Chair and Associate Professor of African American Studies
Elizabeth Drummond, Acting Chair and Associate Professor of History
Adam Fingerhut, Chair and Professor of Psychology
Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ, Trustee, Emerita Professor of Philosophy, and Distinguished Scholar in Residence
Kawanna Leggett, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs
Priscilla Leiva, Associate Professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies
Zoe McGough ’24, Political Science
Declan North ’24, Psychology and Philosophy
Jennifer Pate, Professor of Economics
Eliza Rodriguez, Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for BCLA, Professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies
Melissa Watkins, Associate Vice President for Development and Major Gifts
Ex Officio
Nancy Pluzdrak, Vice President for Human Resources
Trevor Wiseman, Associate Vice President for Operations and Strategy
