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UNLV’s largest college has its new leader.

Chris Heavey, the university’s current vice provost for undergraduate education, has been named dean of the College of Liberal Arts effective July 1. Heavey has been with the College of Liberal Arts for more than 20 years as a psychology professor and former associate dean. As dean, he will oversee 11 departments and centers, 160 faculty, and close to 3,400 students seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees.

“As a teacher, researcher, and administrator, Chris has the respect of his students and colleagues on campus and in the community,” said acting UNLV provost Nancy Rapoport. “He has a deep understanding of all aspects of the college and the right mix of experience and leadership to promote continued student and faculty success in liberal arts.”

Heavey said he is approaching his new position with the philosophy of empowering faculty to fulfill the mission of the university through creative activity, scholarship, and promoting student success.

“The College of Liberal Arts is a thriving place filled with great faculty and exceptional students who are doing really exciting work. I want to celebrate that and figure out how to best enhance and support that further,” he said.

Heavey added he will work to increase the diversity of the college's faculty to reflect UNLV’s diverse student population. “Diversity gives us strength and richness and it is clear to me that we cannot be successful unless we are successful in supporting our diverse students and supporting and growing the diversity of our faculty.”

As UNLV’s director of general education and later vice provost from 2012 to 2016, Heavey was instrumental in a redesign and implementation of the university’s general education curriculum and continues to play a central role in promoting student success.

Heavey was an active researcher during his administrative appointments. His work in psychology began with studying marital communications and gender differences, but then settled on the inner experience – the thoughts and feelings that make up the consciousness of people as they go about their everyday lives. He has become one of the nation’s leading scholars in this field, and his work has helped shed light on the experiences of people who suffer from mental illnesses, including depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He says the role of the humanities and social sciences in higher education is crucial and arguably more important now than ever.

“Our faculty are addressing fundamental questions of importance to society,” said Heavey. “I believe in the centrality of a Liberal Arts education and the type of scholarship that is generated there.”

Heavey was born in Illinois and grew up in California, where he did his undergraduate work (University of California, Santa Cruz) and graduate work (University of California, Los Angeles). But he’s spent more time in Southern Nevada, 24 years, than anywhere.

“I’ve raised two kids here and I can say I love the Las Vegas community and I truly believe in the central role UNLV plays in enhancing and supporting the community,” Heavey said.

Heavey will replace Chris Hudgins, who has served as the dean of the college since 2007 and is retiring from UNLV in December. Hudgins has dedicated 40 years of service to UNLV as a professor and administrator, including 12 years as chair of the Department of English in two different stints.