By Larry B. Dendy
University of Georgia
Sharon Y. Nickols, dean of the University of Georgia College of
Family and Consumer Sciences, announced that she will step down
as dean July 1, 2006, ending nearly 15 years in the post.
Nickols will also relinquish positions as associate director of
the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station and associate
director of the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. She plans
to remain on the CFCS faculty to teach and conduct research.
Nickols is the longest-serving of the deans of UGA’s 15 schools
and colleges. She became dean in August 1991, the fifth person to
hold the title since the college was created in 1933 as the
School of Home Economics.
She said she decided to step down now because the time is right
for new leadership in the college and she wants more time for
academic pursuits.
“I became dean with a solid foundation that was laid in the 1970s
and 1980s by former Dean Emily Pou and former Vice President
Virginia Trotter, who invested in developing research
competencies and created outstanding opportunities to grow,” she
said. “We’ve accomplished many things as a faculty and
administration, and the college is in excellent position for new
leadership.”
Among highlights of her tenure, she said, are the doubling of
undergraduate enrollment in the college, recruitment of
outstanding faculty and stronger relations with industry,
especially in housing and textiles and apparel. Public service
programs have been strengthened, and the college now offers
study-abroad opportunities in five countries, up from one when
she became dean.
“There’s no national ranking system for family and consumer
sciences, but I’m familiar with the national landscape, and all
indicators are that we are one of the top three colleges in the
country in terms of quality of academic programs, faculty
productivity, research and public service,” Nickols said.
Her biggest disappointment, she said, is that a master plan to
expand the college’s physical space hasn’t been implemented.
Nickols said she’s looking forward to “retooling” and resuming
teaching and historical research. “The reason I got into higher
education is that I have a passion for students and a passion for
family and consumer sciences,” she said.
“I want to have time before I retire,” she said, “to do
historical research on the contributions of this field to
improving women’s access to higher education and improving living
conditions in the mid-to-late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
UGA President Michael F. Adams said Nickols “has provided
excellent leadership in a period of remarkable growth and
improvement in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
“She has been a key member of our administrative team, as well as
a personal friend and trusted colleague,” he said. “Her departure
will be a loss not only to her own faculty, staff and students,
but to the entire university community. I thank her for her
outstanding service and look forward to continuing to work with
her in her role as a faculty member.”
Arnett C. Mace Jr., senior vice president for academic affairs
and provost, said Nickols has served “with distinction.” He added
that “her leadership in advancing the college and developing
cooperative programs within the university are especially
noteworthy achievements. While I shall miss working with Sharon
in her role as dean, I look forward to her contributions in her
research and instructional programs.”
Nickols’ previous research included family time allocation and
women’s economic roles in international development. She authored
several book chapters and many articles in professional
publications, co-edited three books and made more than 100
presentations at professional meetings. She was also a Fulbright
Scholar and senior lecturer in home economics at the University
of Malawi.
(Larry Dendy is the assistant to the associate vice-president
for public affairs of the University of Georgia.)
