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Leana Bouffard has been reappointed chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University.

Bouffard will begin her second five-year term on July 1, 2022.

“Dr. Leana Bouffard has shown strong leadership in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice over the past five years,” said Daniel J. Robison, holder of the endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Her astute guidance has led the department to a terrific position to continue to contribute so importantly to Iowa State’s land grant mission. We are excited to see what will develop next.”

Bouffard joined Iowa State in 2017 as professor and chair of the department. Since that time, student enrollment in the criminal justice major substantially increased, leading to a department name change in July 2021 — from the Department of Sociology to the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice — that better reflects students’ growing interest in a criminal justice degree.

“The growth of the department’s enrollment in criminal justice is a testament to the leadership of Dr. Leana Bouffard,” said Beate Schmittmann, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Her ability to assess and meet the demands of a growing academic field not only addresses students’ career interests, but also positions Iowa State as an educational leader in the social sciences.”

Bouffard is eager to build on the department’s momentum from the past five years. She will continue to seek ways to strengthen the curriculum and research opportunities for all students.

“We have started looking at all of our programs to make sure we are offering the strongest possible education and opportunities for all our students, and that we are preparing them well for the future direction they want to take,” Bouffard said.

Bouffard received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Duke University before earning a master’s degree and a doctorate in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on violence against women, police response to domestic violence, sexual aggression among college students and the effects of parenting on criminal behavior.

Co-administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts and Science, the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice offers undergraduate programs in criminal justice, sociology, and agricultural and rural policy studies. The department also offers master’s degrees and doctoral degrees in sociology and rural sociology.