Matthew C. Moen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Lohre Distinguished Professor, University of South Dakota, was elected president of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) at its annual meeting in Chicago. CCAS consists of some 600 arts and sciences deans nationwide, and focuses on professional development and higher education issues generally, including advocacy for liberal learning. Moen has served as chairperson of the CCAS Research Universities Committee, as an elected member of the CCAS Executive Board, and as program chair for the CCAS 2007 annual meeting. The CCAS president serves a one-year term and then serves an additional year with the organization as past president. “I'm grateful to the Executive Board and the membership of CCAS for this opportunity, and as president, I look forward to working with deans throughout the United States to promote higher education as well as the value and benefits of liberal arts education,” noted Moen, a Sioux Falls, S.D., native. Prior to joining the University of South Dakota, Moen was at the University of Maine for 16 years where he served as chairperson of the department of political science and as a professor achieving the honor as University of Maine trustee professor, a title bestowed annually upon one full professor on campus for academic distinction. While at Maine, Moen was also special assistant to the president, director of the Congressional Internship Program and president of the New England Political Science Association. An author or co-author of five books, Moen is also temporarily serving as acting provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Beverly L. Kahn became Farmingdale State College's provost and vice president of Academic Affairs in January 2008. The provost is responsible for all aspects of the College's academic offerings and provides leadership in strategic planning, budgeting, library services, and the continuous evaluation to provide senior administrative leadership for the College. In making the announcement, College President Dr. W. Hurbert Keen said, “Dr. Kahn's academic credentials and experience will be of tremendous value to Farmingdale State as we continue to develop programs that will contribute to the advancement of the College.” Dr. Kahn most recently worked as vice president for International Opportunities at Pace University in New York.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) have honored two political scientists as their state's Professor of the Year. The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country—those who excel in teaching and positively influence the lives and careers of students. It is the only national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Jay Barth, associate professor of politics at Hendrix College, was recognized as the Arkansas Professor of the Year. Ahrar Ahmad, professor of political science at Black Hills State University, was recognized as South Dakota Professor of the Year.

Allan Rosenbaum, professor of public administration, coordinator of the Ph.D. Program in public administration, and director of the Institute for Public Management and Community Service within the School of Public Administration at Florida International University, has recently been elected to a three year term as president of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA). Founded some 40 years ago, IASIA is located in Brussels, Belgium, and includes institutional members from throughout the world. For the past two years, Dr. Rosenbaum has been the chairperson of a joint United Nations/IASIA taskforce.