
Mitchell S. McKinney, Ph.D.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN | BUCHTEL COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Dean Mitchell S. McKinney
A renown political communication scholar, Mitchell S. McKinney, Ph.D., is dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.
McKinney joined UA from the University of Missouri, where he served as professor of communication and director and founder of the Political Communication Institute.
During his tenure at Missouri, he was appointed to several academic leadership positions, including director of graduate studies, and both associate department chair and chair of the Department of Communication, one of MU’s largest academic units. He also served as Faculty Fellow for academic affairs in the Office of the Provost.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences” McKinney said. “Colleges of Arts and Sciences serve as the intellectual core of the university; and during such challenging times for higher education, I’m eager to begin my partnership with the outstanding faculty and staff in education, fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and the natural sciences as we serve our students and the Akron and Northeast Ohio communities through our instruction, research and creative endeavors, and engagement activities. I’m anxious to begin work with my UA dean colleagues and other senior campus leadership as we continue building one of our nation’s truly exceptional urban research universities.”
Office directory
Senior administration
Bill Lyons, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Faculty Support
Professor of Political Science
330-972-5855
wtlyons@uakron.edu
David N. Steer, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies
Professor of Geosciences
330-972-2099
steer@uakron.edu
Ann Usher, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
Professor of Music
330-972-6923
ausher@uakron.edu
Professional staff
Donald Welch, M.S.
Director, Finance, Operations & Technology
330-972-7937
dfwelch@uakron.edu
Lisa Craig
Director, Communication and Marketing
330-972-7429
lmc91@uakron.edu
Ashley Rini, M.S.
Interim Director, Advising
Director, Pre-Health Advising
330-972-6513
rini@uakron.edu
Jess M. Otto, Ph.D.
Faculty Fellow for Inclusion, Diversity & Equity
330-972-8486
jotto@uakron.edu
Office staff
Martha Reynolds
Coordinator, Administrative Services
330-972-7857
martha2@uakron.edu
Laura Bonko
Program Specialist
330-972-2632
lmbonko@uakron.edu
Susan Baker
Program Specialist
330-972-6451
sbaker@uakron.edu
Edie Barnes
Program Specialist
330-972-7881
esb@uakron.edu
Marlene Pryor
Secretary
330-972-7880
mpryor1@uakron.edu