The College welcomes new dean
James P. “Ike” Adams Jr. has been named dean of the University of Kentucky College of Social Work and will begin the UK deanship in July 2009.
Adams has previously served the University of Alabama as executive assistant to the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, as well as director of Economic and Community Affairs, where he linked community leaders to resources at the university to facilitate economic growth and community development. Adams has also served on the board of the Alabama Poverty Project and as a research associate for the Kettering Foundation.
“The prospect of working at a flagship university with a well-defined business plan, coupled with a college of social work with highly competent faculty, made the offer very attractive," said Adams. "My consequent visits to the University of Kentucky, where I met with President Todd, Provost Subbaswamy, members of the administrative team, faculty and staff in the College of Social Work and friends of the university, confirmed for me that this was an ideal place to work and live. I look forward and with great anticipation to joining the University of Kentucky team."
Adams will succeed Kay Hoffman, who served as dean and the Dorothy A. Miller Professor in Social Work Education since 1998.
"Dr. Adams brings a distinguished career of teaching, research, administration and community involvement to the UK College of Social Work," UK Provost Kumble Subbaswamy said. "I am confident the college will continue to thrive under his leadership as it has under the exceptional guidance of Dr. Kay Hoffman."
An educator, researcher and administrator, Adams holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Miss., a master's degree in social work research from State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a doctorate in social work policy, planning and administration from University of Minnesota.
He has served several academic institutions and social service organizations. Prior to completing his doctorate in 1979, he worked at Tufts Delta Health Care Center in Mound Bayou, Miss.; the Department of Mental Retardation's Office of Mental Hygiene in New York City; and Parent/Child Center of Minneapolis Inc., where he served as director of social services. His career as an educator began in 1972 and includes service as a faculty member at such institutions as University of Minnesota, Delta State University, and San Diego State University. Adams joined University of Alabama's faculty in August of 1979.
Adams' research and expertise lie in the areas of adolescent pregnancy prevention, aging, black family structure and functioning, deliberative politics and public leadership, economic development and community revitalization, family care-giving and social support networks, leadership and management in higher education, and managing diversity. His research has been published in numerous publications, including the American Journal of Rural Health, the Journal of Applied Gerontology, the Journal of Social Work Education, the Journal of Black Studies, the Journal of Family Issues, and the Alternative Higher Education Journal of Research and Development.
Outside the classroom, Adams has previously served the boards of the National Issues Forums Institute and the Council on Social Work Education, as well as several regional and state boards in Alabama.
Picture and story courtesy of UK Public Relations
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Last updated 6-23-09
