North Central University has announced the formation of new colleges and the appointment of new deans, effective June 1, 2018.
With the pending retirement of Ron Jewett, Ph.D., current Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Provost Don Tucker, Ed.D. initiated a search for a new dean and utilized this transition to also reconsider how NCU colleges should be configured for the future. Rapid growth in the business-related majors, plus pending expansion in the natural sciences, led to the conclusion that now would be an appropriate time to separate Business and Computer Science into a new College of Business and Technology.
The College of Church Leadership is also undergoing a leadership change, as the current dean, Doug Graham, D.Min., who is also Vice President for Spiritual Life, returns to a full-time VP role, serving as campus pastor.
Tucker believes the new academic structure will provide a roadmap to the future, allowing each area to grow effectively under the excellent leaders in place. “Enrollment and workload are balanced in this new model,” Tucker said. “Our deans will have the structure they need to succeed as they lead with excellence in academics.”
The new academic colleges and the deans leading them are listed below.
College of Arts and Sciences
Programs
- Education
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Communication Arts
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Dean – Desiree Libengood, Ed.D. (ABD)
Desiree Libengood, Ed.D. (ABD), Assistant Professor of English, has been named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and will assume this leadership role upon Ron Jewett’s retirement at the end of this academic year. Libengood has served as full-time faculty since 2011. She is a graduate of North Central, earned her Master of Arts in English from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently completing her doctoral dissertation in Educational Leadership at Bethel University.
College of Business and Technology
Programs
- Business
- Marketing
- Accounting
- Finance
- Entrepreneurship
- Technology
Dean – William Tibbetts, MBA
Current Director of the School of Business, William (Bill) Tibbetts, MBA, will serve as Dean of the College of Business and Technology. Serving at NCU since 2008, Tibbetts’ has led a continual increase in programming and enrollment, growing enrollment in business programs from 79 to 235 students. Tibbetts is currently studying toward his Doctor of Business Administration at Grand Canyon University. He holds an MBA from Regent University and has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Journalism from Purdue University.
College of Church Leadership
Programs
- Biblical and Theological Studies
- Intercultural Studies
- Pastoral Studies
Dean – Allen Tennison, Ph.D.
After a search process, Allen Tennison, Ph.D., currently Professor of Theology, has been named new Dean of the College of Church Leadership. Part of NCU faculty since 2011, he holds a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary, an M.A. from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a B.A. from Evangel University. Tennison has taught at Azusa Pacific University and Vanguard University, and served 15 years as a pastor in Kentucky, Missouri and California. He is an Assemblies of God minister and serves the General Council of the Assemblies of God as a member of the Commission on Doctrinal Purity.
College of Fine Arts
Programs
- Music
- Theatre
- Worship Arts
Dean – Larry Bach, M.M.
The College of Fine Arts will continue to be led by Professor Larry Bach, M.M., who has been at North Central since 1981. He is a doctoral candidate in Conducting at the University of Iowa, holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Minnesota, and a B.A. in Vocal Performance from West Virginia Wesleyan College. Bach is a licensed minister in the Assemblies of God and has also served as associate conductor of the renowned Dale Warland Singers and is currently conductor and artistic director of Twin Cities Masters Chorale.
College of Graduate and Professional Education
Programs
- Graduate Studies
- Degree Completion
- Applied Studies
- Continuing Education
- Online Education
Dean – Renea Brathwaite, Ph.D.
The College of Graduate and Professional Education (previously School of Graduate and Creative Education) remains under the leadership of Dean Renea Brathwaite, Ph.D., who has been at NCU since 2016. An ordained Assemblies of God minister, Brathwaite holds a Ph.D. in Theology from Regent University and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
