Michael Benedik Named Dean Of Faculties And Associate Provost At Texas A&M
Dr. Michael J. Benedik has been appointed dean of faculties and associate provost at Texas A&M University, formally filling the posts he has held on an interim basis for the past seven months.
Benedik’s appointment was confirmed Thursday (Jan. 31) by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents upon the recommendation of President R. Bowen Loftin.
Congratulating Benedik on his appointment, Provost Karan L. Watson said, “I have the utmost confidence in Dr. Benedik’s ability to provide strategic leadership on faculty issues and oversee key faculty-related processes in concert with the deans of the colleges and schools. I particularly look forward to working with him on faculty development initiatives.”
Benedik, professor of biology and genetics, also serves as the university’s faculty ombuds officer and was speaker of the Texas A&M Faculty Senate in 2011-12, with a total of seven years of senate service. He joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1984 and served until 1989, when he accepted a position at the University of Houston, but returned in 2004. He was awarded an International Professorship by the American Society for Microbiology and named a 2011-2012 Regents Professor for Texas A&M University.
His teaching includes undergraduate and graduate courses in microbiology and bacterial genetics. He has chaired graduate student thesis committees resulting in completion by 14 master’s, 10 doctoral and seven postdoctoral students. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers and facilitated over $6 million in external funding.
During the eight years he has been back at Texas A&M, he has served both his department and the university extensively in many roles and on many committees. Most notably, he chaired the University Grievance Committee for four years, served on Committee on Academic Freedom, Responsibility and Tenure (CAFRT), the University Undergraduate Appeals Panel and as a Research Standards Officer.
He succeeds Antonio Cepeda-Benito, who accepted a key administrative position at another university last year.
Media contact: tamunews@tamu.edu.
