By Larry B. Dendy
University of Georgia

Sharon Y. Nickols, dean of the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences, announced that she will step down as dean July 1, 2006, ending nearly 15 years in the post.

Nickols will also relinquish positions as associate director of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station and associate director of the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. She plans to remain on the CFCS faculty to teach and conduct research.

Nickols is the longest-serving of the deans of UGA's 15 schools and colleges. She became dean in August 1991, the fifth person to hold the title since the college was created in 1933 as the School of Home Economics.

She said she decided to step down now because the time is right for new leadership in the college and she wants more time for academic pursuits.

"I became dean with a solid foundation that was laid in the 1970s and 1980s by former Dean Emily Pou and former Vice President Virginia Trotter, who invested in developing research competencies and created outstanding opportunities to grow," she said. "We've accomplished many things as a faculty and administration, and the college is in excellent position for new leadership."

Among highlights of her tenure, she said, are the doubling of undergraduate enrollment in the college, recruitment of outstanding faculty and stronger relations with industry, especially in housing and textiles and apparel. Public service programs have been strengthened, and the college now offers study-abroad opportunities in five countries, up from one when she became dean.

"There's no national ranking system for family and consumer sciences, but I'm familiar with the national landscape, and all indicators are that we are one of the top three colleges in the country in terms of quality of academic programs, faculty productivity, research and public service," Nickols said.

Her biggest disappointment, she said, is that a master plan to expand the college's physical space hasn't been implemented.

Nickols said she's looking forward to "retooling" and resuming teaching and historical research. "The reason I got into higher education is that I have a passion for students and a passion for family and consumer sciences," she said.

"I want to have time before I retire," she said, "to do historical research on the contributions of this field to improving women's access to higher education and improving living conditions in the mid-to-late 19th and early 20th centuries."

UGA President Michael F. Adams said Nickols "has provided excellent leadership in a period of remarkable growth and improvement in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

"She has been a key member of our administrative team, as well as a personal friend and trusted colleague," he said. "Her departure will be a loss not only to her own faculty, staff and students, but to the entire university community. I thank her for her outstanding service and look forward to continuing to work with her in her role as a faculty member."

Arnett C. Mace Jr., senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, said Nickols has served "with distinction." He added that "her leadership in advancing the college and developing cooperative programs within the university are especially noteworthy achievements. While I shall miss working with Sharon in her role as dean, I look forward to her contributions in her research and instructional programs."

Nickols' previous research included family time allocation and women's economic roles in international development. She authored several book chapters and many articles in professional publications, co-edited three books and made more than 100 presentations at professional meetings. She was also a Fulbright Scholar and senior lecturer in home economics at the University of Malawi.

(Larry Dendy is the assistant to the associate vice-president for public affairs of the University of Georgia.)