The School of Arts and Humanities wishes a hearty congratulations to two excellent faculty members who were just informed of their promotion to Distinguished Professor.  Dr. Bob Felgar, Distinguished Professor of English, and Dr. Gordon Harvey, Distinguished Professor of History, recently achieved this honor.

Distinguished Professor is the highest rank attainable at JSU.  To be considered for promotion to this rank, professors must have a minimum of ten years at JSU as a full professor and must demonstrate a continuous and sustained record of scholarly/creative activity and service.  Additionally, candidates must be reviewed positively by two external reviewers.

Felgar, head of the English Department, teaches a variety of classes, and he specializes in African-American literature.  In the past five years, his scholarship has included two scholarly books, a book chapter, and a forthcoming encyclopedia entry.  His recent books, The Historian’s Narrative of Frederick Douglass: Reading Douglass’s Autobiography as Social and Cultural History (2017) and American Slavery (2015), have made significant contributions to American literary studies.  Felgar also contributes to the university through his work at the JSU Writing Clinic and on various committees, including the JSU Common Read and the SAH Curriculum Committee.

Harvey, head of the Department of History and Foreign Languages, teaches history to high school students through JSU’s dual enrollment program.  He also teaches upper-level courses in his areas of expertise: American history and Southern history.  Harvey’s recent scholarship has included a book, a forthcoming essay, four encyclopedia entries, and an invited lecture. His most recent book, The Politics of Trust: Reubin Askew and Florida in the 1970s, was published by the University of Alabama Press in 2015.  His current book project is on the recent history of bike messengers.  Harvey’s service to the university includes leadership of the Faculty Commons and JSU’s participation in the Invisible Histories Project of Alabama.  He has also been instrumental on several university committees, including those working on the Transfer Pathways Program, Core Scholars Dual Enrollment, JSU Secondary Education, JSU Strategic Plan, and JSU Gamecock Orientation.

Again, SAH congratulates both Felgar and Harvey on their promotions.