New deans have been selected for the College of Education, the College of Public Service, and the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.

"I am impressed with the collaboration and coordination across the entire campus to successfully complete these searches,” said Provost Lynn Vidler. “Our search committees, the HR teams and support staff, as well as the broader campus community came together to appoint three strong deans for the UCCS mission. Lastly, I am grateful and want to thank each of our Interim Deans for serving the campus community this past year."

Full search committees are listed below.

College of Education

Joseph Wehrman, Ph.D., has been selected as the new dean for the College of Education. He will begin serving in the regular role on May 20, 2025.

"It is with great honor and enthusiasm that I accept the role of Dean of the College of Education," said Wehrman. "As a long-standing member of UCCS, I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me to lead this extraordinary community of educators, community leaders, and academic scholars. As we look ahead, I see a future filled with promise and possibility. The challenges facing education and our behavioral health systems today are complex, but they also present us with powerful opportunities to reimagine how we teach, care, and lead. I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence—one that supports innovation, inquiry, and integrity at every level."

Wehrman is currently a Professor and Interim Dean of the College of Education (COE) at UCCS. He is a former department chair in the Department of Counseling & Human Services (DCHS) and Faculty Director of the Counseling and Leadership Program, a specialized master’s degree program developed in partnership with the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). For the academic year 2021-22 he served as a Visiting Professor at USAFA in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership. Additionally, in 2015, he served as the Interim Dean of the COE and Acting Dean in the summer of 2022. He is a former Army Medical Service Corps Officer and a combat veteran. Prior to coming to UCCS, he was a faculty member at The Citadel Military College of South Carolina. He earned his doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from The University of South Dakota. 

Wehrman is an Emeritus Director of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and Affiliates Board. He served twice as a visiting faculty member at Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México in Lomas de Santa Fe, Mexico and has provided humanitarian aid in the United States and internationally.

Wehrman has received several awards, including two South Dakota Board of Regents Technology Awards, South Dakota Counseling Association Outstanding Service Award, UCCS COE Outstanding Teaching Award, a UCCS COE Technology Award, and a UCCS COE Outstanding Service Award, DCHS Outstanding Student Mentor Award, and the UCCS Chancellor’s Award for overall excellence in areas such as teaching, research, and service. 

Wehrman earned his bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Montana State University, his master's in Applied Behavior Analysis from St. Cloud State University, and his Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision at the University of South Dakota.

"I am inspired by the work already happening across our college and excited to build on that momentum together," Wehrman concluded. "Let us move forward with purpose, creativity and a shared commitment to shaping the future of education. Go Mountain Lions!"

College of Public Service

William Wells, Ph.D., has been selected as the new dean for the College of Public Service. He will begin serving in the role on July 1, 2025.

"I am thrilled to become part of the UCCS community as Dean of the College of Public Service," said Wells. "The opportunity to collaborate with dedicated faculty, staff, and students in the College is truly inspiring. I am also eager to contribute to a college and university that are strategically positioned to make a significant impact in Colorado Springs. Together, we will implement high-impact teaching practices and spearhead influential research that will drive positive outcomes for the city, state, and region."

Wells is currently the Director of the Center for Intelligence and Crime Analysis in the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University and is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. He is also Acting Vice President for Research and Strategic Partnerships at SHSU.

Wells served as Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at SHSU from August 2016 to December 2022, leading one of the largest criminal justice programs in the United States. Since establishing the Center for Intelligence and Crime Analysis in January 2023, Wells has coordinated the delivery of 26 professional development courses to more than 560 working professionals, established a multidisciplinary undergraduate minor and a certificate in Crime Analysis and Mapping, and facilitated the creation of crime analysis internship positions.

As a reflection of his accomplishments, Wells received the SHSU award for Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Accomplishments in 2021, the SHSU Inclusive Excellence Award in 2023, and the College of Criminal Justice Excellence in Community Engagement Award in 2023.

Wells earned his bachelor's in Psychology from Ohio University, his master's in Criminal Justice from Indiana University, and his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha. 

College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences

Bret Amundson, DMA, has been selected as the new dean for the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. He will begin serving in the role on July 1, 2025.

"I am honored to join the vibrant UCCS community and to serve as Dean of the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences," said Amundson. "Together, we will continue to champion academic excellence, foster interdisciplinary innovation and elevate the voices of our students, faculty, and community. I'm inspired by the incredible work already happening at UCCS and look forward to working together to create new opportunities for our students and faculty."

Amundson currently serves as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) in Duluth, Minnesota, where he also directs Bella Voce, the College’s premier treble ensemble. Amundson brings a blend of administrative acumen and artistic vitality to this role, fostering interdisciplinary initiatives and strategic partnerships that elevate student and faculty success.

With over a decade of progressive leadership at CSS, including prior roles as Dean of the School of Arts and Letters, Director of General Education, and Director of the First Year Program, Amundson has led numerous institutionally transformative efforts. Outside the college, Amundson serves as Artistic Director of the Lake Superior Youth Chorus, where he has exponentially grown the organization’s reach, enrollment, and impact. Choirs under his direction are consistently recognized on state and national stages, including invitations to perform at American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) regional and state conferences.

His contributions to the field have earned him accolades such as ACDA-MN’s Outstanding Young Conductor Award and inclusion in Duluth’s “20 Under 40.” A sought-after clinician and thought leader, he continues to inspire through his commitment to transformative education and the power of music to connect, uplift and lead.

Amundson earned his bachelor's in Choral Music Education and Vocal Performance from Saint John's University, a master's in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State University, an MBA in Change and Leadership from the College of St. Scholastica, and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from University of Washington.

College of Education Search Committee
Co-Chairs: 

• Minette Church – Associate Dean, Letters, Arts, and Sciences 
• Tabatha Farney – Associate Dean, Kramer Family Library 

Committee Members: 

• Chelsea Lawson – Teaching Professor, English (Faculty Assembly & Equity Advocate Representative) 
• Kylie Rogalla – Assistant Professor, Counseling & Human Services (Faculty Assembly)
• Jeremy Anderson – Associate Director of Operations, Dining & Hospitality (Staff Council Representative) 
• Patty Witkowsky – Associate Professor & Department Chair, Leadership, Research, and Foundations (COE Faculty Representative) 
• Monica Yoo – Chair, Department of Teaching and Learning (COE Faculty Representative) 
• Cory Gavitt – Associate Teaching Professor, Education (COE Faculty Representative) 
• Lori Notestine – Associate Teaching Professor, Counseling & Human Services (COE Faculty Representative) 
• Collin McAllister – Associate Professor w/ Tenure, Music (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• Sarah Long – Assistant Dean & Director of Student Affairs (Staff Representative) 
• Stacy Aldridge – District 12 Assistant Superintendent (Community Member) 
• Sofi Cruz – Graduate Student, SAHE Master of Arts (Graduate Student Representative)

College of Public Service Search Committee

Co-Chairs: 

• Ying Shang – Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Science 
• George Rus – Associate Dean, Letters, Arts, and Sciences 

Committee Members: 

• Matthew Dower – Graduate Student, College of Public Service (Graduate Student Representative) 
• Laurel Bidwell – Associate Professor, Social Work (Faculty Assembly Representative) 
• Jevita Rogers – Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management & Financial Aid (Staff Council Representative) 
• Pam Sawyer – Director of Strategic Initiatives (Equity Advocate) 
• Cathy Simmons – Professor w/ Tenure, Department of Social Work (CPS Faculty Representative) 
• Henriikka Weir – Associate Professor, Criminal Justice (CPS Faculty Representative) 
• Edin Mujkic – Associate Professor w/ Tenure, Homeland Security (CPS Faculty Representative) 
• Ila DeBose – Clinical Assistant Professor & BSW Practicum Director (CPS Faculty Representative) 
• Robin Kempf, Associate Professor, Administrative Operations (CPS Faculty Representative)
• John Barnett, Associate Teaching Professor, Administrative Operations (CPS Faculty Representative)
• Kara Carnes-Holt – Professor, Counseling & Human Services (COE Faculty Representative) 
• Steve Recca – Director of the Center for Human Security (Staff Representative) 
• Cortney Strack-Loertscher – Business and Finance Operations Manager (Staff Representative) 
• Steve Parker – CPS Advisory Board (Community Member) 

College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Search Committee

Co-Chairs: 

• Susan Taylor – Vice Provost & Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning; Professor of English 
• Regina Winters – Associate Dean, College of Public Service; Teaching Professor of Public Administration 

Committee Members: 

• Markus Moeder-Chandler – Assistant Teaching Professor, Counseling & Human Services (Faculty Assembly Representative) 
• Kim Uhl – Administrative Assistant III, Military Science (Staff Council Representative) 
• Sarah Hutton – Finance and HR Professional, Anthropology (Equity Advocate) 
• Kirsten Ortega – Associate Professor, English (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• Kevin Tvrdy – Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• Barbara Headle – Teaching Professor, History (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• Steven Bistricky – Associate Director of Clinical Training & Associate Professor w/Tenure, Psychology (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• K. Maja Krakowiak – Co-Chair & Professor of Communication (LAS Faculty Representative) 
• Corrie West – Senior Director of Development, University Development (Staff Representative) 
• Michaela Steen – IT Senior Professional, Visual & Performing Arts (Staff Representative) 
• Laura McKernan – The Justice Center (Community Member) 
• Amanda Espinel – Graduate Student, LAS (Graduate Student Representative)