Kisting selected as UWRF College of Arts and Sciences dean

Posted 5/25/23

RIVER FALLS – Wesley Kisting, who worked as an associate dean and an English professor at a Georgia university, has been hired as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Kisting selected as UWRF College of Arts and Sciences dean

Posted

RIVER FALLS – Wesley Kisting, who worked as an associate dean and an English professor at a Georgia university, has been hired as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. 

Kisting, who worked most recently as associate dean of the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Augusta University, will begin in his new role on July 1.

Professor Karl Peterson will continue as interim CAS dean until June 30, after which he will return to his role as associate dean.

Calling his job at UW-River Falls “a dream come true,” Kisting said the university’s teachers, students and leadership team prompted him to apply for the job. 

“You have highly dedicated faculty and staff, highly engaged students, a superb cohort of deans, excellent leaders like Provost Travis and Chancellor Gallo, and a wonderful community that is clearly invested in the university’s success,” he said. 

David Travis, provost and vice chancellor at UW-River Falls, said Kisting’s experience and approach make him a strong fit for the CAS dean position. 

“Dr. Kisting has overseen many facets of the administrative process in his role at Augusta University,” Travis said. “That experience enables him to see issues from multiple perspectives that will empower our faculty and create even more learning opportunities for our students.” 

At Augusta University, Kisting has worked as associate dean since 2014. Prior to that he was director of the university’s quality enhancement plan and taught English there since 2007. He received his bachelor’s degree in English and writing at Marquette University in 1999 and his doctorate in English at the University of Iowa in 2007.

Among his top goals as he begins work at UW-River Falls, Kisting said, is helping CAS faculty develop forward-thinking, interdisciplinary programs that combine the strengths of liberal arts and sciences with experiential learning infused with technology. That approach will be important as technology advancements continue and as artificial intelligence advances as well, he said. 

“More than ever, our students will need the versatile knowledge and skills we teach in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as media and technology skills that now powerfully affect the reach and impact of the ideas we share,” Kisting said.

Submitted by UW-River Falls

 

College of Arts and Sciences, dean, UW-River Falls, Wesley Kisting, River Falls, Wisconsin