About Promotion to Full Professor
All faculty who achieve tenure and the rank of associate professor have demonstrated and documented a clear record of excellence in teaching and a record of at least high quality in either scholarship or service, with performance in the other category being, at a minimum, satisfactory. To be promoted to the rank of full professor, a faculty member must document and demonstrate a clear record of excellence in teaching, as well as a record of excellence in either scholarship or service, with performance in the other category being, at a minimum, high quality. This is a very challenging standard to meet, and the individuals being recommended for promotion from associate to full professor this year do, indeed, exemplify this level of achievement.
Thank you: Campus Promotions Committee
Sincere thanks to members of the 2020-2021 Campus Promotions Committee for their significant review work this year:
- Holly Thompson, CPC chair
- Leo Bin
- Ken Kriz
- Rosina Neginsky
- Donna Bussell
- Carrie Switzer
The Deans invite you to join them in congratulating their faculty recommended for promotion to full professor. Faculty are listed by college, below.
Promotion recommendations are pending final approval by the Board of Trustees at the July 2021 meeting.
College of Business & Management
Jorge Villegas, Management, Marketing, & Operations
Professor Jorge Villegas earned a Ph.D. in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002, and an MBA from the Escuela de Graduados en Administracion y Direccion de Empresas (EGADE), Tecnologico de Monterey in 1996. Dr. Villegas joined the UIS faculty in Fall 2009, and he was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2013.
Students in Professor Villegas’ Marketing Management course, regardless of their perceived creativity, are asked to innovate in an area that they are passionate about. Every semester, a handful of projects deserve to be funded due to their originality and marketability.
Dr. Villegas’ research on HPV vaccination highlights the importance of healthcare providers’ genuine communication with their patients. He explains that this interdisciplinary project has been especially important, as it provided an opportunity to learn so much from his co-researcher, MPH faculty member Dr. Brian Chen.
Dr. Villegas describes becoming the Chair of the Senates Conference as the adventure of a lifetime. He explained that leading the conversation of shared governance issues with faculty and staff of the three universities and the System is like someone giving you the keys to a brand-new luxury car. The only catch? No brakes!
Te-Wei Wang, Management Information Systems
Professor Te-Wei Wang earned a Ph.D. in Management from the University of Illinois Carbondale in 2001. Dr. Wang joined the UIS faculty in Fall 2005, and he was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2011.
Professor Wang teaches courses in Business Analytics, Database Management, and Systems Analysis & Design to a diverse graduate student body. He engages students using current topics, such as analyzing the spread of COVID-19 and Oscar award datasets.
Dr. Wang is a cross-disciplinary researcher who uses behavioral science theories and analytical models to solve business problems. His current research focuses on tourism technology adoption and data analytics. Professor Wang integrates research into the classroom, and one of his future goals is to involve more students in his research.
Highlights of Dr. Wang’s service include the Campus Senate, Graduate Council, and Committees at all levels in the U of I system. Professionally, he has served on the Journal of Database Management Review Board for 6 years and reviewed numerous journal articles, book chapters, conference papers.
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Heather Bailey, History
Professor Heather Bailey earned a Ph.D. in History from the University of Minnesota in 2001. Dr. Bailey joined the UIS faculty in Fall 2002 and was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2008
Professor Bailey has taught twenty-one different European history and CAP honors courses. She especially enjoys teaching about nineteenth-century European and Russian history and using literary works to introduce students to political ideologies or intellectual and cultural movements.
After publishing her 2020 book and several articles on western European and Russian characterizations of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Dr. Bailey has shifted gears. Her third book focuses on Franco-Russian intellectual and cultural relations concerns, political murder, and the attempt of a Polish refugee to assassinate Tsar Alexander II in Paris in 1867.
Dr. Bailey has had exciting professional service opportunities as part of the leadership team for AP European History scorings and as a member of the CLEP Western Civilization Exam committee. But here at UIS she’s proud of her strong record of leadership and advocacy for shared governance and faculty voice.
Lynn Fisher, Sociology/Anthropology
Professor Lynn Fisher earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan in 2000. Dr. Fisher joined the UIS faculty in Fall 2000 and was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2006.
Professor Fisher enjoys designing creative projects that apply anthropology’s holistic approach to current social issues. For example, last fall her students created and debated alternative museum labels for objects recovered from houses burned in the 1908 Race Riot. She explains that connecting artifacts to social justice helped students recognize the contemporary relevance of the past.
Dr. Fisher’s archaeological research combines field survey, remote sensing, excavation, and cooperation with local collectors to explore cultural landscapes of early farmers in Germany. Using relatively non-destructive methods, they have uncovered the first quarry and settlement features on the Swabian Alb, an area long thought to be empty of early settlement.
As a scholar and advocate for public higher education, Dr. Fisher tries to identify areas where her work can have impact beyond the classroom, such as participation in shared governance. She strives to facilitate open communication, a strong faculty voice, and decision-making processes that invite multiple voices.
Beth Ribarsky, Communication
Professor Beth Ribarsky earned a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska Lincoln in 2009. Dr. Ribarsky joined the UIS faculty in Fall 2007, and she was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2013.
Dr. Ribarsky works to create interesting and interactive courses that encourage students to apply classroom concepts to their personal and professional lives. She has added 3 courses to the catalog, including a Dating and Relating course, which highlights her research interests and the ever-evolving nature of romantic relationships.
Since coming to UIS, Dr. Ribarsky has had 50+ conference presentations, and written/edited 2 books, including her introductory communication textbook, Activate Your Superpower: Creating Compelling Communication. This textbook was fueled by a desire to provide a low-cost and relatable option for our students, presented in a unique/usable format for instructors.
Dr. Ribarsky joined the IRB during her first year at UIS, and she is the second-longest-standing member. She has spent 6 years in leadership positions within the Central States Communication Association, and has worked with Illinois Humane Society to develop strong relationships for fundraising and communicate the importance of animal welfare.
Peter Shapinsky, History
Professor Peter Shapinsky earned a Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan and joined the UIS faculty in 2005. He was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2011.
Professor Shapinsky has taught 20 different courses on East Asia, maritime history, historical methods, and for the CAP Honors program. Among his most impactful courses, he lists those exploring a “World history of pirates,” The Pacific War, and global experience trips to Ashikaga, Japan.
Dr. Shapinsky has authored a historical monograph, “Lords of the Sea: Pirates, Violence, and Commerce in Late Medieval Japan” and several articles on medieval Japan and its maritime history. He is currently working on intersections between maritime cartography, piracy, and perceptions of the region in 16th century East Asia.
In his field, Dr. Shapinsky has helped plan a conference on early modern Japanese memory of the medieval and reviewed manuscripts. Significant service at the university has included chairing his department, working on curricular committees and working to promote global issues and the exchange with Ashikaga, Japan.
Frances C. Shen, Psychology
Professor Frances Shen earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Illinois Carbondale and joined the UIS faculty in 2008. She was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2014
As a teacher, Professor Shen is passionate about promoting student engagement and mentoring students in research. It is rewarding for her to see students develop their research, writing, and presentation skills beyond the classroom through their engagement in research. She feels fortunate to work at an institution that values and supports undergraduate student research.
Dr. Shen’s program of research in Asian American psychology focuses on exploring this population’s culturally specific experiences. She enjoys incorporating her research into teaching multicultural counseling and psychology courses, as well as fostering greater multicultural interests among students by engaging them in her scholarly endeavors.
Dr. Shen is proud to have served her profession through positions within the Asian American Psychological Association. Through the AAPA, Dr. Shen has been able to network and engage with other academics and practitioners with similar interests.