Jerry Stinner, current chair of the University of Akron’s Department of Biology, has been named dean of CSUN’s College of Science and Mathematics, and will assume the new position July 1.

The Georgia native is replacing Edward Carrol Jr., who recently retired.

At the University of Akron in Ohio, Stinner has taught pre-med students about biological functions, the biology of animals and has mentored pre-veterinary students.

Additionally, he developed an internship program at the university.

“I am very honored and very excited (about) being the new dean (at CSUN),” Stinner said. “During my interview, I was very impressed with what was going on with CSUN, the provost, the faculty, the president and the students. I felt (CSUN) had a great atmosphere and a lot of opportunity.”

Stinner is an experienced scientist who has a track record as both a biologist and an accomplished administrator, said Fred Dorer, interim dean for the College of Science and Mathematics at CSUN.

“He will bring his academic experience to help this college,” Dorer said.

Stinner was selected through a process led by a university search committee and overseen by Provost Harold Hellenbrand.

The search consisted of a collection of people who came from a variety of backgrounds, Dorer said.

CSUN President Jolene Koester appointed Stinner as dean upon recommendation by the provost, Dorer said.

With Stinner’s academic training and experience as a teacher and department chair at the University of Akron, he was a great candidate for the position, Dorer said.

According to Stinner, helping mentor faculty and moving the college forward are a few of the goals he has in mind.

At the University of Akron, Stinner increased technological support for students and instructors by ensuring that every faculty member had at least one computer, said Sue Robinson, who was an administrative assistant to Stinner at the university. He also raised funds so students could have access to a computer lab, she said.

“I would certainly like to enhance scholarship and strengthen teaching programs (at CSUN),” Stinner said.

It is unclear whether Stinner will be teaching a biology course during his first semester, and he is still unsure about what his time constraints will be while serving as dean of the college.

“I would love to teach at CSUN, but I just don’t know how much time I will have in the beginning,” Stinner said.

Although ready to take on the position at CSUN, there are a few things Stinner said he will miss back at the University of Akron.

“I was certainly ready for new challenges, and I was ready to leave the University of Akron, but at the same time, I’m going to miss my colleagues,” Stinner said. “I just felt that the position in Northridge was an opportunity I could not back down from.”