The University of Central Arkansas has named Dr. Tom Williams as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

In this role, Williams will publicly represent the college, which houses six departments, and implement strategies that support and enhance UCA’s mission. The College of Liberal Arts includes the departments of English, history, languages, linguistics, literatures and cultures, philosophy and religion, political science, sociology, criminology and anthropology.

Dr. Tom Williams has been named the new dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Central Arkansas.

He will begin his position July 2. Williams will report to UCA’s executive vice president and provost, Patricia S. Poulter, who also begins in July.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Williams to the UCA community. He brings decades of experience to the role.

His understanding of and passion toward the College of Liberal Arts and its programs, students and faculty will ensure the college continues to prosper,” said Dr. Michael Hargis, interim provost.

Williams is currently the associate dean of the School of English, Communication, Media and Languages at Morehead State University in Kentucky. Prior to that role, he served Morehead State as the chair of the department of English. He was also an associate professor and chairman of the department of Humanities at the University of Houston-Victoria, an associate and assistant professor of English at Arkansas State University, and an assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

“I have known that UCA is a wonderful university for quite some time. To join this extraordinary university is a great honor, and I cannot wait to start working with the talented faculty and staff to lead the College of Liberal Arts toward a bright future,” Williams said.

Williams earned a bachelor’s in creative writing from Ashland University in Ohio, his master’s in English from The Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in creative writing and literature from the University of Houston.