Dr. Kelly Bidle named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Dr. Kelly Bidle, a biology professor and associate dean who has earned a reputation of excellence among students and faculty alike, has been named dean of Rider’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The appointment will begin on July 1.  

“I have enjoyed the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Bidle during the past few years, and I welcome her to the Academic Affairs leadership team,” wrote Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs DonnaJean A. Fredeen in an email to faculty and staff announcing the appointment.  

Bidle joined Rider’s faculty in 2001 and continues to teach in the Department of Biology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Health Sciences. In 2016 she served as special assistant to the dean before being appointed associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2017.  The College consists of 11 academic departments that offer 34 undergraduate majors and 45 minors. With more than 100 full-time faculty — all of whom hold doctoral degrees — it is the largest of Rider's five academic colleges and schools. 

“I'm honored to serve as the next dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and build on the impressive accomplishments of our faculty and student body," Bidle said. "Time and again I have seen the transformative power of the College's curriculum on Rider students, and I'm excited to lead during a time of growth and forward momentum." 

Recently, the College has seen the creation of many new and in-demand academic programs, significant renovations to its teaching and learning facilities, and the successful hiring of a talented cohort of new faculty.
 More than 100 students working in Rider laboratories have benefited from Bidle's mentorship, including the opportunity to travel with her to national research conferences. Many of them have received significant research fellowships for the scientific work they have conducted with her and gone on to attend prestigious graduate programs after Rider, including Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.  

“Dr. Bidle has enjoyed a strong reputation among students given her engaging approach in the classroom and her advocacy and support of student-centered issues,” Fredeen said.  Bidle received a bachelor's in biology from Rutgers University and a doctorate in molecular and cell biology from the University of Maryland. Her research on the molecular adaptations of microbes that live in extreme environments has been published widely and supported by numerous grants from the National Science Foundation. 

She is also the recipient of several awards from Rider, including the Nancy Gray Award for Campus Leadership and Service and the Frank N. Elliott Award for Distinguished Service. She’s participated in or led many important working groups on campus, including serving as chair for institutional reputation and branding committee in the most-recent University strategic planning process, the Promotion and Tenure Committee, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academic Standing Committee. Bidle has also served as Rider’s NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative.

Also effective July 1, Dr. Brooke Hunter will begin as an associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Currently an associate professor in the Department of History and Philosophy, Hunter has been a member of Rider's faculty since 2002. She is a recipient of both the Distinguishing Teaching Award and the Frank N. Elliott Award for Distinguished Service and has served in a number of significant leadership positions on campus, most notably as the co-chair of Rider's most recent and successful Middle States Accreditation Self-Study. Hunter is also the Lawrence Township historian and a board member of the Lawrence Historical Society. 

"Brooke has served as a mentor to numerous students working on independent studies revolving around local and state history, and she is a strong proponent for curriculum assessment and has solid credentials in the scholarship of teaching and learning," Bidle said. "I have enjoyed all of the opportunities I’ve had to work with Brooke over the years and I am delighted to welcome her to the leadership team in the College."

The College's current dean, Dr. Jonathan Millen, announced in April that he had accepted a new position at the University of New England in part to return to his hometown. 

"Personally, I have enjoyed working with Dr. Millen and have benefited from his wisdom, vision and thoughtful approach to leadership," Fredeen said. "Although I will miss him as a colleague, I'm confident that under Dr. Bidle's leadership, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will continue to reach for ever-higher pinnacles of excellence, particularly given the strong foundation and education all students receive in its robust core curriculum."