Abilene Christian University recently announced two new hirings in academic leadership positions: vice president for research and dean of library services and educational technology.
Dr. Janet Donaldson began work in January as ACU’s vice president for research, and Dr. Lee Anne Paris has been appointed dean of library services and educational technology, effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Donaldson comes from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where she was associate vice president for research and professor of microbiology, overseeing sponsored research administration, student research and innovation, commercialization, research development, and research analytics. She earned her B.S. and Ph.D. in microbiology and biological sciences from Mississippi State University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institutes of Health and Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She has held leadership roles at Mississippi State and the University of Southern Mississippi, including department chair of biological sciences and associate dean for research and graduate education.
Her research career has focused on exploring the mechanisms by which food-borne pathogens cause infections, especially Listeria monocytogenes. She has helped garner over $50M in research funding, has published extensively, and has contributed as a national and international reviewer and editor in microbial sciences.
“Dr. Donaldson is passionate about the faith-based mission of ACU and is excited to assist us in advancing our support of faculty and student scholarship and research activity,” said Dr. Robert Rhodes, senior vice president for academic affairs.
Paris brings experience in academic leadership, library administration, accreditation, and faculty development. She currently serves as executive director of academic policy and curriculum at the University of Central Oklahoma, overseeing curriculum approval processes, key academic policy bodies, academic catalogs and campus curriculum systems, and serves as liaison to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and on UCO’s Higher Learning Commission Writing Team.
Her previous roles include director of research and user engagement at UCO’s Max Chambers Library and dean of library and instructional support and associate chief academic officer at Oklahoma Christian University.
Paris holds a Ph.D. in information and library science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.L.I.S. from the University of Oklahoma, and a B.A. in English and Portuguese from Vanderbilt University.
“Dr. Paris’s scholarship and professional service reflect a long-standing commitment to academic libraries, digital learning and institutional effectiveness,” said Dr. Susan Lewis, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “I’m confident she brings the vision, experience and judgment needed to lead this portfolio in ways that align with ACU’s mission and strategic priorities.”
– Wendy Kilmer
Feb. 10, 2025