Updates and Announcements

New Music Department Chair appointed

July 2009

The College of Arts and Humanities is pleased to announce that Professor Jeffrey Moore has been appointed Chair of the Music Department. Professor Moore joined the UCF faculty in 1994, teaching percussion lessons, ensembles, and assisting with the Marching Knights. Over the years, he has performed in Europe, Asia, South America, and throughout the United States, recently leading the UCF Percussion Ensemble in a performance tour of Lithuania. He has published method books, solo compositions, ensemble arrangements, and is a contributing author to two books on percussion pedagogy. He has been recognized by UCF for excellence in teaching, research and professional service including the 2006 College of Arts and Humanities Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, two TIP awards, the 2008 CAH Open House Outstanding Achievement Award, and CAH Outstanding Professional Service Nominee in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

New Chair of Theatre Department appointed

July 2009

The College of Arts and Humanities is pleased to announce that Associate Professor Christopher Niess has been appointed Chair of the Theatre Department. Professor Niess joined the UCF faculty in 2001, teaching acting, movement and dance. Niess has worked on over 150 productions as director, choreographer, actor, dancer, performance artist or movement coach throughout the US, Canada, Germany and Scotland. He has served as Artistic Director for the Great Lakes Festival Ballet and for Ballet Theatre Ohio. He was recently selected to co-present a paper at the International Federation for Theatre Research in Libson, Portugal in July, 2009. He will also be on the faculty of the International Performing Arts Institute in Germany later this summer.

José Fernández among Ahora Orlando's 25 Most Influential Hispanics

June 2009

José Fernández, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, is included in the Spring/Summer issue of Ahora Orlando magazine among the "Top 25 Most Influential Hispanics." Fernández appears alongside important figures in the Orlando community such as U.S. Senator Mel Martínez. Fernández is the highest-ranking Hispanic administrator on the UCF campus, and he received the Pegasus Professor Award in 2001. In December 2008, he was appointed by the President of the United States to the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino.

Position Announcement: Women's Studies Program Director Search Closed

January 2009

The search for the position of Director of Women's Studies has been closed due to an insufficient pool of applicants. Dean Fernández will begin the process of seeking to appoint an Interim Director.