Last modified: Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Margaret Ferguson named IU assistant vice president for statewide academic relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Margaret Ferguson, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, has been named Indiana University's assistant vice president for statewide academic relations.
Margaret Ferguson
In her new role, Ferguson will coordinate processes across the university for degree and program approvals and assist in procedures related to faculty promotion and tenure cases. An authority on state and local politics, she also will work with IU's government relations staff and represent new university degree programs and academic policies before the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
"I am delighted to introduce Margaret Ferguson as assistant vice president for statewide academic relations," said John Applegate, executive vice president for university regional affairs, planning and policy. "Margie will bring to her new position a deep knowledge of state government, as well as a strong commitment to academic excellence and integrity. I am exceptionally grateful to the search committee, chaired by (Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs) Tom Gieryn, for identifying superb candidates for this position, and I am confident Margie will serve Indiana University with distinction."
Ferguson assumes a position previously occupied by Robert Sandy, professor emeritus of economics at IUPUI, who served in the role from 2006 until his retirement in 2010. Since that time, Julia Lamber, professor and currently interim executive associate dean for academic affairs in the IU Maurer School of Law, has acted in an interim capacity.
"I believe that my knowledge of state government and my dedication to the Indiana University system will enable me to work effectively with higher education leaders in the state," Ferguson said. "The role of higher education has never been more important than it is today, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve Indiana University in this new capacity."
Ferguson joined the IUPUI Department of Political Science in 1996 and has served as department chair since July 2008. In fall semester 2011, she was acting associate dean for academic affairs at the IUPUI School of Liberal Arts, which awarded her with its Teaching Excellence Recognition Award in 2000.
Her teaching interests within the field of American politics include state and local politics, executive politics and legislative politics.
She earned doctoral and master's degrees in political science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. While completing her Ph.D., she worked on welfare policy issues as a research associate at the University of North Carolina's Human Services Research and Design Laboratory.
Her dissertation, "Gubernatorial Policy Leadership in the Fifty States," reviewed the progress of bills in state legislatures in the 50 states during 1993-94 to determine what tools and conditions enable governors to get their preferred legislation adopted into law.
