Clarksville, Ark. ---Dr. Daniel Taddie has joined University of the Ozarks as the new vice president for academic affairs.
Taddie, who was chosen by a search committee from a pool of more than 40 applicants, has been a professor of music and the director of the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga., since 1999. He began his new duties at Ozarks on July 1. ??? Taddie replaces Dr. Caroline Whitson, who left Ozarks last summer to become the president of Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. Ozarks Science Professor Dr. Elizabeth Gomez served as the interim vice president for academic affairs during the 2001-02 academic year. ??? "I was attracted to Ozarks by its mission, its Christian values, its Presbyterian heritage, its commitment to the liberal arts and professional preparation, and its innovative support for students," Taddie said. "I was impressed with its reputation for academic quality and, during the interview process, I came to respect and cherish its people: faculty, administration, staff and students." ??? Taddie said he has a passion for "academic affairs and the church-related liberal arts college." He has served as a department chair for the past 12 years. Before joining Columbus State, he served as chair of the Division of Fine Arts at Maryville (Tenn.) College for nine years. ?? ?"I’ve had major responsibilities for curriculum, personnel, budgets and accreditation," he said. "I’ve also served as visiting evaluator in the accreditation process and as a committee member charged with tasks like overhauling the general education program, developing an institutional strategic plan and evaluating faculty for promotion and tenure." ??? Describing his management style as organized, pastoral, trustworthy, fair and collegial, Taddie said he has a "desire to assist the faculty in developing and articulating a shared academic vision that is rooted in the mission of the institution." ??? Taddie earned his undergraduate degree in applied music from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. He earned advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in musicology, from the University of Iowa. He has teaching experience at Mississippi County Community College in Blytheville, Ark., and Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn. ??? Taddie, whose wife’s name is Ann, said his background as a music professor has given him an "expansive view" of the teaching and learning process. ??? "Musicians typically engage in a wide variety of teaching and evaluation activities," he said. "For example, I have taught in the classroom, taught one-on-one voice lessons and conducted choirs. Such a range of activities required developing a variety of teaching strategies and diverse methods of assessing student progress."
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