Feb. 1, 2023
More than 530 faculty and staff members will be recognized at the Service Awards Ceremony
at 3 p.m., Tuesday, March 28, in the University Union Emerald Ballroom for their milestone
anniversaries in calendar year 2022. Six faculty and staff members will be honored
as the longest-serving this year with 40 and 55 years of service.
See the complete list of all UNT staff and faculty who celebrated milestone anniversaries
in 2022.
Bob Bland
Endowed Professor of Local Government in the Department of Public Administration
Robert L. “Bob” Bland’s career spans 40 years of distinctively superlative scholarship
and faculty service. He is the Endowed Professor of Local Government in the Department
of Public Administration and serves as faculty director of the Center for Public Management.
He is the recipient of the 2023 UNT Foundation Eminent Faculty Award.
He also is the first recipient of the Terrell Blodgett Academician Award from Texas
City Management Association and the Stephen B. Sweeney Academic Award from the International
City/County Management Association. He earned a B.S. from Pepperdine University, an
M.P.A. and M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee, and a Ph.D. from the University
of Pittsburgh.
He was selected as the founding chair of the Department of Public Administration.
During this time, he helped it grow from a single graduate degree, adding a Ph.D.
program and a bachelor’s in emergency administration. Since then, he has established
several endowed scholarships, achieved top rankings in U.S. News & World Report, and
engaged alumni in the department’s mission.
“He has helped the department to grow, not only, not less, but greater, better and
more beautiful than when he arrived,” says Simon Andrew, current chair of the department.
Art Goven
Professor of Biological Sciences
Art Goven’s heart has always belonged to teaching.
In his 40 years at UNT, the professor of biological sciences has served in a variety
of roles, including faculty executive assistant to the chancellor, interim vice provost
and vice president for research, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, dean
of the College of Arts and Sciences, and coordinator of the Division of Math and Sciences.
“I cannot think of a better place to have invested my time and energy over the past
40 years,” he says.
He earned a B.S. in biology from Lynchburg College in Virginia and an M.S.P.H. and
Ph.D. in public health (parasitology /immunology), both from the University of North
Carolina. His areas of research have included the effects of hazardous chemicals in
the environment, earthworms as a model for analyzing immunotoxicity, and the medicinal
properties of plants.
“He is passionate about teaching and is loved by his students,” says Jyoti Shah, chair
of biological sciences. “After he stepped down from administrative roles, he continued
to serve the department and the College of Science on various committees.”
Steven Harlos
Professor of Keyboard Studies
Steven Harlos is a musician, composer and teacher.
He has worked with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Texas Winds and performed with
such diverse artists as Timofei Dokschutzer, Harvey Phillips, Dick Hyman, Marvin Gaye
and Maureen McGovern. He earned his B.M. from Indiana University, an M.M. from the
University of Western Ontario and a D.M.A. from the University of Southern California.
He serves as professor of piano and chair of the Division of Keyboard Studies.
His biggest inspirations are his students, who make him look forward to coming to
work every morning.
“As I get older, the students seem to keep getting younger and I appreciate their
youthful enthusiasm,” he says. “The interactions between teacher and student are deep
and at times profound.”
Harlos also has composed works including Benniana, a jazz sonata for clarinet and piano; Sonata Rubata for flute and piano; Billiana, Sonata #2 for clarinet and piano; and Three Bach Inventions Re-Invented in the Styles of Busoni, Godowsky and Rachmaninoff for piano solo.
Cathleen Norris
Regents Professor of Learning Technologies
Cathleen Norris is a Regents Professor of learning technologies and associate dean
of research and development in the College of Information. She also is the co-director
of the Intergalactic Mobile Learning Center. She earned a B.S. from Central State
University in Oklahoma, an M.S. from Texas Woman’s University and a Ph.D. from UNT.
She always loved teaching and, before coming to UNT, she taught computer mathematics
at W.T. White High School in Dallas. She received the Golden Apple Award from Dallas
ISD during her 14 years in K-12 classrooms. Although she didn’t always plan on working
in higher education, she says UNT has made her feel at home. Over the years, she has
worked in various departments including computer science, technology and cognition,
and computer education and cognitive systems.
“Her involvement in providing innovative solutions to improve the learning experience
of kids in underserved communities, particularly of those with low socioeconomic status,
has impacted so many lives positively,” says Dean Kinshuk of the College of Information.
“Her illustrious career at UNT provides a role model to so many of us.”
Linda Strube
Administrative Specialist, College of Music
Linda Strube has done it all. The UNT alum has bachelor’s degrees in math and French
from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama; a master’s in higher education and
math from Auburn University; and a bachelor’s in computer science from UNT. During
her summers in college, she used to work as a typist for the Pentagon in Washington,
D.C.
She spent time in academia before she decided to come back to UNT as a copy editor
with the Department of Political Science in 1982. That is where she edited a professional
journal (PUBLIUS: The Journal of Federalism) for 14 years and since then has been responsible for typing and processing 1,000
programs a year for the College of Music.
She is known for her passion and integrity toward her work and the students at UNT.
“On occasion, Linda and I will talk about what makes the College of Music a special
place to work and she always says it’s the students,” says Raymond Rowell, her supervisor
and assistant dean for scholarships and external affairs for the college. “For me,
it’s people like Linda.”
G.L. Seligmann
Associate Professor of History
A faculty member in the Department of History since 1967, Gus Seligmann has served
UNT for 55 years.
During that time, his roles have included serving as associate and acting director
of core programs for what was then the College of Arts and Sciences, chairing the
university tenure committee “through an unusually tense period,” and representing
the department as a member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.
He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New Mexico State University and a Ph.D.
from the University of Arizona. His research has appeared in journals such as the
New Mexico Historical Review and Arizoniana. He co-edited both Chicano: The Evolution of a People and Chicano: The Beginnings of Bronze Power, among other books. And he is known among his colleagues and students for his dedication
and his unwavering kindness.
“He has contributed much to the life of the department,” says Jennifer Wallach, chair
of the Department of History, “through his wit, storytelling, rich institutional memory,
excellent hospitality and unparalleled skills as a departmental parliamentarian.”
