Dean Fox announces retirement after 10 years in role

Linda Kirk Fox, who has served as dean of the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences since 2011, has announced her plans to retire on Aug. 1, 2021.
Fox became the college’s seventh dean in July 2011 with the vision of building a college of cohesive faculty and staff of well-funded and distinct programs for diverse and global learners.
Under Fox’s leadership, enrollment in the college has increased by more than 20 percent; funded research has more than doubled and the number of endowed professorships has grown from five to 15, in addition to the establishment of numerous new scholarships and student support funds.
“I cannot imagine a time when I’m not the dean of this college,” Fox said. “Nothing has given me more fulfillment and more joy than working with the dedicated faculty and inspiring students of our college.”
Fox called her time at UGA as “the richest and most rewarding” of her career.
“I can say with confidence that UGA President Jere Morehead and Provost Jack Hu know and respect our college,” Fox said. “They value our work and our efforts to support and strengthen individuals, families and communities.”
In addition to serving as dean of the college, Fox also serves as associate director of UGA Cooperative Extension and associate director of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations for family and consumer sciences programs.
During her tenure, she has promoted community engagement research initiatives such as the college’s leadership in the UGA Obesity Initiative and the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance.
A 14-member search committee chaired by Kelly Smith, dean of the College of Pharmacy, has been appointed to conduct a national search for the college’s next dean.
Assisted by the UGA Search Group, the search will begin in early May, with candidate recruitment occurring over the summer. The campus community will have opportunities to meet with the finalists, either in person or via Zoom, depending on health conditions, in the fall semester.
Updates on the search will be posted at https://provost.uga.edu/facs_dean_search/
“It is a privilege to serve as dean, and I’m excited for what I know will be a tremendous future for all of the FACS family,” Fox said.