LEXINGTON, Ky.—William F. Pollard, vice president and dean of the college and professor of English at Transylvania, is the recipient of the 2010 Chief Academic Officer Award given by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). The award recognizes his contributions to colleagues at independent colleges and universities.
As a member of the CIC Chief Academic Officers Task Force (2006-09) he helped develop programs and chaired sessions at the annual institute for chief academic officers. For over 15 years he has been an evaluator for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa national honorary societies, the American Conference of Academic Deans and has served as president and secretary of the Association of Chief Academic Officers of the Southern States.
“Bill is very deserving of this national honor,” said Transylvania president R. Owen Williams. “He is an active scholar and is well respected by his colleagues. His appreciation for the liberal arts is remarkable.”
Pollard, who came to Transylvania in 2004, has published on medieval English literature and is co-editor of “Mysticism and Spirituality in Medieval England” with Robert Boenig and “Vox Mystica: Essays on the English Mystical Tradition Honoring Valerie Lagorio” with Anne Bartlett, Thomas Bestul and Janet Goebel. Prior to beginning his service at Transylvania, he was provost and dean of the college and professor of English at Georgetown College and vice president and dean of the college and professor of English at Huntingdon College.
The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of more than 600 independent, liberal arts colleges and universities and higher education affiliates and organizations that work together to strengthen college and university leadership, sustain high-quality education, and enhance private higher education’s contributions to society. To fulfill this mission, CIC provides its members with skills, tools, and knowledge that address aspects of leadership, financial management and performance, academic quality, and institutional visibility. The Council is headquartered in Washington, DC.