Departmental Chair Changes on Campus

Two academic departments saw some role changes this semester, as Dr. Christine Williams and Dr. Heather Quagliana were promoted to department chair.

Quagliana, professor of psychology, stepped into the role of chair for the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences after Dr. Jeff Sargent, professor of psychology, served in the role for 12 years.

During fall of 2021, Sargent temporarily took a break from his role as chair to focus on other projects, and Quagliana became the acting chair. Both professors met on a weekly basis to discuss the transition. After Sargent’s break ended, he decided to step away from the role and pass it on to Quagliana.

“She's a different person, with a different perspective. She has the right heart, and she's called, so I'm excited about that,” Sargent said. 

Sargent was grateful this transition model allowed him to work on other projects, such as developing “a mentoring program for leaders,” and mentoring Quagliana as she “implemented some new ideas” and “a new vision.”

“That’s the model I'd like for us to do across Lee. This model of moving leaders in and out temporarily. It is not designed to replace people, but it did work out like that this time,” Sargent said. 

In the Department of Communication Arts, Professor of Theatre Williams has assumed the role of department chair, when Dr. Joel Kailing, professor of communication, stepped down to return to teaching.  . 

“You know, 10 years you cycle through your stuff. Things I cared about, pushed and emphasized, they were good,” said Kailing. “It'd be nice to get somebody else who has their own perspective. And I have such high regard for the other leaders in our department … that makes it easy to move to another place.”

Kailing voiced his appreciation of a model that allowed him to recognize it was time for a change, and execute the change. 

“I felt like we had the model from the two people who preceded me,” Kailing said. “Both of them, when they felt it was time for a change, they were able to step down and make that change.”

Kailing acknowledged multiple departments across Lee’s campus have “different thinkings on this,” as some department chairs transition into the role “and then they've just never left it. They learned that job. They liked that job. They're good at it.”

Williams is looking forward to new opportunities in her position as chair, as well as  discovering and implementing new ideas. 

“We are in the midst of collaborating and making connections with a couple of different areas on campus to see ways that we can work together on programs,” Williams said. “[We’re] taking a hard  look at what we're offering, and how to refine those offerings, and then maybe see some opportunities for new ideas.”

Quagliana’s office is now located in the Humanities Building Room 302C.

Williams’ office is now located in the Communication Arts Building Room 210D.