YSU to name Mosca, DePoy as new deans

University trustees are expected to act on the recommendations later this month.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — The current associate dean of Youngstown State University’s Bitonte College of Health and Human Services has been chosen to serve as dean of that college, and an administrator at Southeastern Louisiana University has been tapped as dean of YSU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts.

YSU Provost Ikram Khawaja said YSU’s own Joseph Mosca is his recommendation to lead the College of Health and Human Services. Bryan DePoy, interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Southeastern Louisiana, is his pick for Fine and Performing Arts.

“We had a very strong pool of finalists for both of these very important positions and are pleased to be able to bring these two very highly qualified individuals into the leadership ranks of the university,” Khawaja said.

The new deans are expected to start their new positions July 1.

The YSU trustees board is expected to act on the recommendations later this month, granting both men tenure as deans.

Mosca replaces John Yemma, who retired last summer. DePoy replaces Joe Edwards, who retires July 1.

“Dr. Mosca has experience that is deep both in the college and in the community and the region,” said Shearle Furnish, dean of YSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and chairwoman of the search committee for the Health and Human Services position.

With about 3,500 students, the Bitonte College of Health and Human Services is YSU’s largest college. It includes the departments of criminal justice, health professions, human ecology, human performance and exercise science, military science, nursing, physical therapy and social work.

Mosca earned a doctorate in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois, Chicago, in 1981 and a bachelor’s degree in social work from UIC in 1980.

He joined the faculty at YSU in 1989 as an assistant professor of social work, moving to associate professor in 1996 and professor in 2003. He served as assistant to the dean of the Bitonte College from 1996 to 2003, was chairman of the Department of Social Work from 2001 to 2007, and has been associate dean of the college since 2007.

Paul Kobulnicky, executive director of YSU’s Maag Library and chairman of the search committee for the Fine and Performing Arts position, said there was widespread support throughout all the disciplines in the college for DePoy’s candidacy.

The College of Fine and Performing Arts, with nearly 1,000 students, includes the Dana School of Music and the departments of art, theater and dance and communication.

DePoy earned a doctorate of music from Florida State University in 1998, a master of music degree from the University of New Mexico in 1993, and a bachelor of music degree from Indiana University (Bloomington) School of Music in 1991.

He joined the faculty at Delta State University in Mississippi in 1993 as an assistant professor of music and served as assistant to the dean of Arts and Sciences from 1998 to 1999. He then went to Southeastern Louisiana University in 1999 as an assistant professor of music, moving to associate professor in 2002 and professor in 2007.

He was graduate coordinator of Music and Dramatic Arts at SLA from 2004 to 2006; interim director of the Northshore School of the Arts at SLA from 2006 to 2008; assistant dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences since January 2006; and interim dean of the college since July 2008.