LAS announces leadership changes
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The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) will undergo multiple leadership changes over the summer. These changes, effective July 1, 2025, unless noted otherwise, will contribute to the progress of reimagining the college for a student-centered, sustainable future.
“I’m proud of the amount of effort that so many people in the college have put into creating growth and positive change,” Benjamin C. Withers, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said. “And now I’m looking forward to the contributions of our new leaders and the possibilities these new opportunities create.”
Department changes
Lt. Col. John Cacic is the new department chair of the Department of Air Force Aerospace Studies (Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). Cacic, an Iowa State alumnus (marketing), earned his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC) program at Detachment 250. He served in a variety of acquisition program management positions, including time as an executive officer, director of operations, and senior instructor. He also completed two tours as a field training officer, graduating over 1,375 cadets into the professional officer course, and is an Air Education and Training Command (AETC) master instructor. Prior to this assignment, Cacic was the deputy branch chief of the modernization branch at the Airspace Mission Planning Division, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
Dr. Chunsheng (Sam) Xin will serve as the next chair of the Department of Computer Science beginning August 1, 2025. Xin is currently a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Cybersecurity at Old Dominion University (ODU). His teaching and research focus on cybersecurity, AI, and wireless technologies, with an emphasis on AI security and Internet of Things (IoT) security. As graduate program director, he helped increase applications and enrollments in masters and doctoral programs, and led the accreditation of the ODU cybersecurity program, among other accomplishments. Since August 2022, he has worked as a program director at the National Science Foundation for STEM Education. He is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow and received the IEEE Big Data Security Leadership Award.
University Professor Emeritus Peter Orazem is the interim chair of the Department of Economics. Before retiring in 2023, Orazem served as an Iowa State faculty member for more than 40 years. His research focus is labor markets in the United States and in developing countries, with a particular interest in human capital, regional economic development, and entrepreneurship. Orazem received his bachelor’s in economics from the University of Kansas and a doctoral degree in economics from Yale University.
Dr. Tracy Lucht, professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, began her role as interim director of the school. This new role follows leadership experience as both graduate and undergraduate studies director for the school. Lucht teaches courses in reporting, editing, journalism history, and research methods, and her research focuses on the history, experiences, and representations of women in the media. She holds a Ph.D. from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and has worked for USA Today, The Washington Post and the Des Moines Register.
LAS administration
Following Assistant Dean Kent Kerby’s retirement, Dr. Megan Myers, professor and chair in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was appointed interim associate dean of student success. She will oversee LAS Career Services, LAS Study Abroad, Start Something LAS Academy, LAS Student Academic Services, BOLD, STEM Scholars, and scholarship coordination. Over the next twelve months, she will champion innovation in collaborative, student-centered support.
Dr. Monic Behnken, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, began her new role as associate dean for strategic innovation. In this role, she will develop, implement, and help execute college and unit strategies to drive successful change in LAS, prioritizing initiatives within LAS by aligning goals, stakeholders, and contributors with priorities that advance the college’s vision and mission.
In recognition of their long-standing contributions to the college and campus, Dr. Amy Slagell and Dr. Arne Hallam were promoted to Senior Associate Dean.
“We are happy to recognize Amy and Arne’s long-standing contributions to the college and campus,” Withers said. “Colleagues all across campus hold both of them in high regard, due to their deep knowledge and experience in higher education – and the important relationships they’ve built over the years, in the college and at Iowa State.”
July 1 also marks the official merge of the LAS enrollment and communications teams, creating a new LAS marketing and recruitment team. Kathy Houseman will remain director of recruitment and Amy Juhnke, director of marketing communications, will oversee the marketing and recruitment unit.