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K-State Today

July 30, 2019

Leadership update in several College of Arts and Sciences departments

Submitted by College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences has had leadership changes in three of its departments — statistics; journalism and mass communications; and sociology, anthropology and social work — during the spring and summer 2019 semesters.

Christpher Vahl is the new department head of statistics. Vahl received his doctorate in statistics from K-State in 2005, and his research interests are in applied statistics, optimal design and sampling. Vahl's teaching interests include linear models, experimental design and mixed models.

Steven Smethers is the interim director of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications. A member of the faculty since 2002, Smethers is one of the founders of the Great Plains Radio History Symposium, an annual exchange of scholarly papers reflecting the history of radio programming, operations, technology and ownership in the rural Midwestern states.

Don Kurtz is the interim department head of sociology, anthropology, and social work. Kurtz received his doctorate in criminology from K-State. He also serves as the social work program coordinator and director of nonviolence studies.

The College of Arts and Sciences will conduct an internal search for director of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the department head of sociology, anthropology, and social work in the coming academic year.