April 4, 2005

SMU NAMES NEW VICE PRESIDENT

Dana Gibson, SMU's new vice president for business and finance (click for high-resolution version).

DALLAS (SMU) -- Dana Gibson has been named vice president for business and finance at Southern Methodist University. Gibson has a strong background in academic administration and teaching in the fields of accounting and information systems. Currently vice chancellor at the University of Colorado at Denver, she will assume her new position at SMU June 1.

Gibson has served since 2002 as vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University of Colorado at Denver. In addition to that role, last year she assumed a similar position at the university’s Health Sciences Center, with responsibility for consolidating the administrative structures of the two campuses in Denver.

“Dana Gibson brings a breadth of experience in business administration and management of technology that is the perfect match for SMU as we implement campus and technology enhancements,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Her expertise will help us advance our goal of providing the best education with carefully managed resources and strategic financial planning. The fact that she has significant teaching experience is an additional asset that she brings to her administrative and financial responsibilities at SMU.”

As SMU’s chief business and financial officer, Gibson will be responsible for the administration of budgets and financial planning; business services, including human resources, risk management and Police Department; campus planning and plant operations; the Controller’s Office; and information technology services.

“The opportunity to be part of the wonderful community at such a distinguished university is one I enthusiastically anticipate,” Gibson said. “I look forward to working with the campus constituents to strategically align resources to attain education goals and advance the university’s vision.”

As vice chancellor of the University of Colorado at Denver, Gibson has been responsible for overseeing budget, human resources, institutional research, computing services, campus risk management and auxiliary operations. Highlights of her administration include facilitating implementation of a new budget model, working closely with the provost and deans to determine the financial impact of changes to academic programs and developing a strategic plan for administration and finance.

Before joining the University of Colorado at Denver, Gibson spent 14 years on the faculty and administrative staff of Texas Woman’s University. After serving three years as associate vice president for finance and administration, she became vice president for academic and information services at TWU. In addition to her regular administrative responsibilities, she was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and a key participant in development of the Business Continuity Plan for TWU. She also was a member of the TWU accounting and information systems faculty.

Gibson earned both B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from TWU and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Arlington, with a major field of business accounting and minor fields of information systems and research methods. She is a Certified Public Accountant. Gibson has served as associate editor for Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research and a reviewer for the Accounting Forum and Journal of Information Systems.

Gibson’s appointment as SMU vice president for business and finance ends a nationwide search led by Thomas E. Barry, vice president for executive affairs, and a committee of faculty, administrators, staff and students.

“Dana Gibson has lived on both the academic and administrative sides of university life,” said Barry. “She will bring to SMU a very high level of energy, enthusiasm, knowledge and experience. We are happy to have her join us.”

Gibson succeeds Morgan Olsen, who left SMU in fall 2004 to become executive vice president for business and finance at Purdue University.

SMU is a private, comprehensive university in Dallas with approximately 11,000 students and a full-time faculty of more than 500. The university offers degrees through Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Meadows School of the Arts, Edwin L. Cox School of Business, the School of Engineering, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology, and the new School of Education and Human Development.

Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas with more than 10,000 students and offers degree programs through seven schools. More information about SMU is available at www.smu.edu.

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