Haslerig Named Associate Dean

Associate Professor Siduri Haslerig has been named associate dean for research and graduate studies in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma. Haslerig will start her four-year appointment on Jan. 1, pending OU Board of Regents’ approval.

“Dr. Haslerig is an exceptional scholar of higher education whose leadership in research and work with graduate programs will propel the college forward towards accomplishing our strategic goals and those of the Lead On, University strategic plan,” said Stacy Reeder, dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. “Her experience and expertise as an academic coach will no doubt serve and support our college faculty and graduate students well in the years to come. We are incredibly pleased she will serve as our next associate dean for research and graduate studies.”

Haslerig joined the JRCoE faculty in 2014 as an assistant professor in adult in higher education, receiving promotion to associate professor in 2020. She currently serves as program area coordinator for adult and higher education and is director of the intercollegiate athletics administration program.

“A thriving faculty is a precondition for graduate studies and scholarly research to flourish within the college,” Haslerig said. “My approach to this role is informed by my expertise as a scholar of higher education and an academic coach for graduate students and faculty. As such, I believe we must address individual needs while simultaneously tackling more system-level changes. I look forward to continuing to strengthen the scholarly communities developed by my predecessor in this role and to creating more robust support systems for all graduate students and faculty in the college.”

Haslerig’s research places the study of intercollegiate athletics and college athletes within higher education. Of particular interest are race, diversity, access and inclusion; graduate education; student-athletes’ academic achievement; developmental and support services in intercollegiate athletics; and qualitative research methods.

Haslerig is certified as an academic life coach by Coach Training Edu, which focuses on coaching university students, and is currently working toward an International Coaching Federation certification. She worked as a faculty success program coach for the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity in spring and summer 2021, using a more prescribed curriculum to support pre-tenure faculty in reaching their academic goals.

“Doing both trainings simultaneously helped me draw connections between all stages of the academic career and honed my ability to coach doctoral students specifically, who are often underserved by academic life coaching,” Haslerig said.

The role of the associate dean for research and graduate studies furthers the college’s goals of advancing justice and promoting dignity in and through education. The associate dean is a member of the dean's administrative team and assists in leading initiatives to significantly expand the college's educational research initiatives and increase its research funding.

Haslerig will report directly to the dean and work closely with department chairs, faculty and graduate students to advance matters of research, scholarship and graduate education throughout the college. Her primary focus will be helping the college engage in transformative scholarship in and with the communities it serves that reflects and affirms diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences, knowledge traditions, viewpoints and beliefs. Haslerig will also work to extend and deepen the learning experiences of graduate students.