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K-State Today

February 5, 2015

Bronwyn Fees named associate dean in College of Human Ecology

Submitted by Jane P. Marshall

Bronwyn Fees

Bronwyn Fees, associate professor in the School of Family Studies and Human Services, has been named associate dean for academic affairs by John Buckwalter, dean of the College of Human Ecology at Kansas State University.

Fees was named following a national search. She has been interim dean since August 2013.

"Dr. Fees brings outstanding credentials as a teacher, a researcher, a collaborator, an innovator and a leader to the position of associate dean for academic affairs," Buckwalter said. "Her deep understanding of the college's mission and the challenges ahead will help us create a culture of excellence for our faculty and students in the College of Human Ecology."

The associate dean collaborates in developing, implementing and assessing collegewide efforts in student success, faculty development and distance education.

"To succeed in carrying out the mission of the college and our land-grant university, we must collaborate to provide a culture of continuous innovation and improvement," Fees said.

She sees her role as an advocate for holistic development of the changing student.

"We want our graduates to be knowledgeable, persistent, innovative and in-demand in the market place," Fees said. "We want them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. They must be able to think and act globally, to be able to understand and appreciate the perspective of others."

Fees earned a doctorate in human development and family studies/child development at Iowa State University and a Master of Education in vocational education and Bachelor of Science in education, family and consumer science education from the University of Nebraska, Kearney.

She has taught at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and at Huron University in South Dakota where she was also director of institutional assessment.

In 1998, she joined the faculty at K-State where she specialized in child development and early childhood education. Fees' research focuses on physical activity of young children within child care programs, affordances of the physical environment for children with autism and international perspectives on early education. She has published and presented nationally and internationally on curriculum and physical activity in early education programs.

She is a licensed teacher and member of the early childhood education unit teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses as well as co-chair of the life span human development unit mentoring master's and doctoral students at K-State. She has led study tours to China and Hungary and collaborates on research in China and Tanzania.

Fees serves on the board for the World Organization for Preschool Education and the Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, and has served on national grant reviews panels for Head Start and numerous professional journals.

She headed the child development subcommittee of the Kansas State Department of Education Early Childhood School Readiness Data Task Force and was an original member of state taskforce creating the early learning guidelines and other subcommittees.

Fees has served as chair of the college's faculty council, on the Graduate School Council and in Faculty Senate and its Executive Committee, as well as on numerous school search and organizational committees.

The College of Human Ecology consists of academic units involved in teaching, research and outreach in the areas of kinesiology, family studies and human services, apparel and textiles, interior design, family and consumer sciences education, hospitality management, dietetics, human nutrition, athletic training and gerontology.