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James named Clarion University provost

Dr. Valentine James

A Fayetteville State University dean, Dr. Valentine James, has been named Clarion University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He is currently dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, N.C.

“Dr. James brings tremendous experience and academic leadership to his new responsibilities,” said Clarion University President Joseph Grunenwald. “He has been engaged in wide ranging research in the areas of environmental sustainability and international economic development. He also brings wonderfully complementary skills to the President’s Executive Council and will certainly be an outstanding chief operating officer for the university.”

James, who will start on July 1, is succeeding Dr. Linda Nolan, who resigned in March 2007 to pursue another higher education position. An interim leadership council, chaired by President Grunenwald, has been operating the Office of the Provost.

“This is a great opportunity for me to collaborate with my direct reports, members of faculty, administrators and staff to provide the students of Clarion University with the best education experience equal or better than any in our great nation,” said James. “I am looking forward to being a part of a great family of educators, scholars and administrators at Clarion University.

“In my first 90 days, I will make every effort to understand Clarion University better, thoroughly examine what it offers in terms of academic programs, review the kinds of scholarship that the faculty is engaged in, and determine what my role will be to help move these efforts to greater heights while maintaining the core and traditional functions of the University. Then, I hope to move in other directions with the hope of projecting the university’s excellence in teaching, scholarship and service regionally, nationally and internationally. I will be happy to help students and faculty move forward and learn how to marry my own expertise to those that are already there.”

James has been with Fayetteville State University since 2004 when he was hired as dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He was named dean of the Graduate School earlier this year.

“I thought I had enough experience to do a dean’s job when I was offered that job at Fayetteville State University,” said James. “I ran the departments in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences through the chairs and reported to the provost. Just like my teaching responsibility where I moved up the line, I did the same thing in administration. I felt I was ready to move to a provost’s position.”

James had some knowledge of Pennsylvania and Clarion before applying for the job. His wife, Melanie, is originally from Murrysville. He also knew a Clarion University adjunct faculty member and a faculty member from Clarion University sent a submission to a journal, which James publishes.

“When I learned about the provost job at Clarion, I applied and I was excited to be called for an interview,” he said. “I saw the opportunity that Clarion provides and thought it fits well with my career plans. The faculty at Clarion University is dedicated to serving the students. They are responsible scholars who teach, conduct research, and serve in the community. When I talked to the administration, I discovered that they had the same passion about what they are doing that I bring to the job.”

James received his bachelor’s of science degree in biology with a concentration in animal ecology from Tusculum College, Greeneville, Tenn. His master of arts degree in environmental science with a minor in environmental planning and management is from Governors State University, University Park, Ill. He received his doctor of philosophy degree from Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, with a major in urban and regional planning and a minor in recreation and parks.

This year, he received a certificate of training on graduate student recruiting from the Graduate and Professional /School Enrollment Management Cooperation. He also has a certificate of completion from the College and University Performance Summit, American Strategic Management Association and a certificate of achievement as Air Force Power Advocate from the Air Force Officer and Accession Training School, Tyndell Air Force Base, Fla.

He has held many positions in higher education beginning as a faculty graduate assistant at Governors State University from 1979-81. He was a graduate research assistant for the department of urban and regional planning and tutor/instructor for the athletic department at Texas A & M University; research writer, mathematics and biology educator in Bryan, Texas; assistant professor of urban and regional planning at University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, La.; assistant professor of urban and environmental planning, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.; director of African studies program and associate professor of social science, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Mich.; and director of the Ph.D. program in public policy and associate professor of public policy, interim chair of the Masters of Public Administration department, and director of the Ph.D. program in public policy at Southern University and A & M College.

He has worked as project coordinator for traffic studies, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, Highland, Indiana, and as graduate record examination instructor for College Station Community Education.

His interest in the environment has led him to additional training. He received a certified Air Quality Specialist Certificate and an Environmental Assessment Specialist Certificate from the Environmental Assessment Association, and was awarded a certificate of training in Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

James sees the university role extending beyond the campus.

“I always want to have a general idea of what goes on in communities,” he said. “You have to be able to interact in all different disciplines. The vernacular of an emerging discipline or area of inquiry such as sustainability is understood through collaboration and cooperation. How you get things done, is by bringing people of very diverse backgrounds together to improve the environment or society. I would like to develop a systems approach to problem solving using input from those who serve.

“Clarion is a strong community. I have a passion for understanding what a community needs. I was impressed with the relevance Clarion University has to the community. There are people in Clarion who are very passionate about their work and the importance of their roles in this community and this region.”

The James’ have two sons, Marshall, a student at Ohio University, and Jonathan, who is currently selecting a college to attend in the fall.

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