James Brockmole Begins Tenure as Baylor Arts & Sciences Dean
Dr. James Brockmole, 13th dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Baylor University College of Arts & Sciences welcomes James R. Brockmole, Ph.D., as the College’s 13th dean since its creation in 1919. He succeeds Lee C. Nordt, Ph.D., who will begin serving as Baylor University’s interim vice president and provost on August 1, 2026.
As Arts & Sciences dean, Brockmole provides leadership for Baylor’s largest academic unit, which includes 25 academic schools and departments, 12 academic centers and institutes, 113 undergraduate and graduate programs, 267 staff, 516 faculty and more than 6,600 students in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
When Baylor Provost Nancy Brockhouse, Ph.D., announced Brockmole’s selection on January 14 following a nationwide search, she said, “While at Notre Dame, James Brockmole has been a builder and innovator, and his track record as both a researcher and as an academic leader is remarkable. His vision and unique experience will ensure Baylor is well-positioned to prepare students for the future through the excellent work of the faculty and staff in the College of Arts & Sciences.”
A summa cum laude graduate of Notre Dame, Brockmole earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan State University. He began his academic career at the University of Edinburgh in the UK before joining the Notre Dame psychology faculty as an associate professor of psychology in 2009. He was promoted to full professor in 2017 and appointed department chair in 2023.
Brockmole held several academic positions in Notre Dame’s College of Arts & Letters, including Associate Dean for the Social Sciences and Research, Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Initiatives and Director of the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts (now the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good).
“I am honored to serve as dean of Baylor’s College of Arts and Sciences. I believe faith-based universities are well positioned to address the world's biggest challenges by blending rigorous inquiry with a deep sense of moral purpose and a commitment to human flourishing. The focus is not only on how the world works, but also why the world matters,” Brockmole said. “I am excited to join Baylor’s vibrant community to help advance its academic goals, distinctive Christian mission and vision for the future. I am especially looking forward to getting to know the faculty, staff and students as we work together to expand knowledge and serve the greater good locally, nationally and globally.”
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and 24 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 12 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. The College’s undergraduate Unified Core Curriculum, which routinely receives top grades in national assessments, emphasizes a liberal education characterized by critical thinking, communication, civic engagement and Christian commitment. Arts & Sciences faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.