LOS ANGELES — Richard Fox, a seasoned academic leader, professor, and leading scholar in the contemporary study of gender and politics, will be the next dean of Loyola Marymount University’s Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA), effective June 1, 2024, the university announced today.
Fox, a professor of political science and director of the LMU International Relations program, joined the university in 2007. During his tenure, he also has served as associate chair and chair of Political Science and International Relations, and as associate dean of BCLA.
“Incoming BCLA Dean Richard Fox is a highly regarded scholar who has dedicated his tenure to expanding the academic research and understanding of American government, elections, and voter behaviors, particularly among women,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Thomas Poon. “While Professor Fox will be missed in the classroom, I am overjoyed for Dean Fox as he transitions into this BCLA leadership role.”
Creating a calling card in academia for his dedication as both an educator and scholar, Fox is respected for his scholarship in the classroom through his courses on “Media and Politics,” “Electoral Politics,” “Law, Politics, and Courts,” Honors Seminar, and “Introduction to U.S. Politics.”
Fox earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Claremont McKenna College and earned both his Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara. Fox is one of the leading scholars in the country on the study of political ambition and gender politics.
A published author and esteemed writer, Fox has 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.
During his time as BCLA’s associate dean for undergraduate education, Fox was instrumental in leading changes that transformed BCLA for both students and faculty, including the implementation of a new university core curriculum, the establishment of the BCLA Advising Center, and the transformation of the college to a four-unit curriculum, which allows faculty to further incorporate their research into their teaching of students.
“I am honored that LMU and the BCLA community have entrusted me with this position,” Fox said. “I have always believed that the role of the dean is to work to create as many opportunities as possible for students, faculty, and staff to thrive. In our pursuit of academic excellence, we must continue to work to deliver an exceptional liberal arts education – one that helps our students to find their life path and challenges our students to be critical thinkers, engaged in their communities, and lifelong learners.”
Prior to LMU, Fox taught political science for 13 years at Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he was also chair of Political Science.
Fox will replace Dean Robbin Crabtree, who has served in the role for nearly a decade, and completes her term at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year.