OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 Velmer S. Burton Jr., a noted expert and author on criminology, has been named the new dean of the University of Mississippi\u2019s School of Applied Sciences. Burton is special assistant to the senior vice president for system academic administration and professor of social work at the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities. He officially joins the UM faculty Aug. 1, pending approval from the Board of Trustees of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.<\/p>\n
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Burton said he is looking forward to \u201cthe wonderful opportunity to work with members of the school and learn more about Ole Miss\u2019 third-largest school.\u201d \u201cDuring the interview process I was able to meet with faculty, staff, and students from the various departments in the School of Applied Sciences,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are such a talented group, and I am grateful to be able to join these folks who not only enjoy what they do, but love working with students. Their genuine excitement and affection for Ole Miss made me want to be here too.\u201d Burton added that he is equally impressed with the university, which he said is \u201cuniquely positioned to touch the lives of everyone in the state. \u201cEveryone from the staff to the provost to the chancellor is committed to providing a high-quality education at Ole Miss, and that is impressive and powerful. I feel rather fortunate to have this opportunity to help build on the existing quality here at Ole Miss. The programs and faculty research in the School of Applied Sciences improve the lives of people from birth and throughout the life-course. \u2026 I am pleased to add my research and higher education experiences to this wonderful mix.\u201d Besides serving as dean, Burton will hold a joint appointment in the departments of Social Work and Legal Studies. Carol Boyd, interim dean of applied sciences and professor of social work, said she is grateful to have someone of Burton\u2019s background join the team. \u201cWe are very excited to have Dr. Burton as the dean of the School of Applied Sciences,\u201d she said. \u201cHe brings many years of administrative experience and I look forward to working with him. I am also very excited about his research on collateral impact of prisons.\u201d Provost Morris Stocks said he is pleased that Burton is joining the faculty.. \u201cDr. Velmer Burton\u2019s commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service is matched only by his dedication to student success,\u201d Stocks said. \u201cHis academic qualifications and professional experience will serve him well as he leads the School of Applied Sciences into the future. We look forward to his leadership.\u201d Before joining the University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, Burton was chancellor of the University of Minnesota at Crookston campus and a tenured professor in the Department of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. He also was dean of the graduate school at North Dakota State University, associate provost for research and graduate studies and dean of the graduate school at Southeast Missouri State University and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at Ferris State University. Burton is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where he earned bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in criminal justice in 1985 and 1986, respectively. He also earned a Ph.D. in sociology from UC in 1991, and in 2003 earned a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2004, Burton earned a certificate of completion for new presidents from Harvard University\u2019s Graduate School of Education. He is co-author of the book \u201cContemporary Criminology Theory\u201d (New York University Press, 1994) and has also written many research and scholarly articles for various publications, including the journals Criminology, Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Justice Quarterly, Journal of Criminal Justice and Women in Higher Education. His primary research involves testing theories of crime with adults, social work with offenders and criminal justice agency program evaluation. Established in 2001, the School of Applied Sciences offers professional preparation programs that integrate academic study, clinical training, creative research, service-learning and community outreach. For more information, go to http:\/\/www.olemiss.edu\/depts\/applied_sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"