UMD News Releases

UMD has announced the retirement of five faculty members for the 2009-2010 academic year.

John Red Horse, Professor, Department of American Indian Studies

John Red Horse is retiring from the Department of American Indian Studies, College of Liberal Arts. He joined the UMD faculty in 1990 and became Dean of the College of Liberal Arts after serving on faculties at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMTC), Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

In previous administrative work, he directed the Center for American Indian Education at ASU and the American Indian Studies Center at UCLA. He closed his career as professor and chair of American Indian Studies at UMD. Mr. Red Horse received contract awards form several federal and state agencies as well as private foundations for work in bilingual education, child welfare, family development and Indian Upward Bound education. He is recognized internationally for his body of work, and in recognition of his accomplishments, he received a Distinguished Alumnus award from the College of Education, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, in 2006.

Patricia Merrier, Professor, Department of Finance and Management Information Sciences

Patricia Merrier is retiring from the Department of Finance & Management Information Sciences (FMIS), Labovitz School of Business and Economics. She joined the UMD faculty in 1979. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 1983 and Professor in 1989. Professor Merrier taught business communications and enjoyed both cross-disciplinary and collaborative research.

Throughout her career, she has served in several capacities on the UMD campus administration that include: FMIS Department Head, Acting Athletic Director, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Administration and President of University Education Association and the faculty bargaining unit. Professor Merrier assisted junior faculty with their research by editing, auditing and encouraging academic contributions. She is also the co-author of Business Communications and sole author of Basics of Business Communications texts designed for use in post-secondary schools. She has been honored for her numerous contributions by the LSBE Outstanding Advisor Award 2003, and Outstanding Service Award 2002; Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society Professor of the Year 2008; Association of Record Managers and Administrators, Lake Superior Chapter Member of the Year 1984; and by UMD students with Faculty Member of the Year 1995 and Outstanding Faculty Award 1990.

Eugene Ernest Grossman, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

Eugene Ernest Grossman is retiring from the Department of Psychology. He joined the UMD faculty in 1976. Dr. Grossman taught General Psychology as well as courses in Statistics, Research Methods, and courses in perceptual and cognitive processes at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Throughout his career, Dr. Grossman procured $984,000 as Principal Investigator on research and development grants, including a grant from the McKnight Foundation. He produced 17 refereed journal publications and 23 program evaluation manuscripts. He presented at 31 refereed national and international conferences and was an invited speaker at 16 professional meetings.

He also received The Regents of the University of Minnesota’s Horace T. Morse Award for distinguished contributions to undergraduate education in 1980. As Director of the Center for the Advancement of Learning Technologies, College of Education & Human Service Professions from 1984-1990, Dr. Grossman advocated for quality teaching and learning.

Kristelle Miller, Professor, Department of Psychology

Kristelle Miller is retiring from the Department of Psychology. She joined the UMD faculty in 1989. Professor Miller taught Family Therapy, Adolescent Psychology, supervised MA students in school and community counseling and also taught in the UMD Study in England Programme from 1998-99 with the largest group of students ever enrolled.

Throughout her career, she mentored four high school students in research for a grant to UMD Medical School, supervised 13 UROP students, chaired over 20 master theses, most of which were presented at national or regional conferences. To date she has ten publications and two grants. She reviewed three textbooks, reviewed conference proposals for American Educational Research Association, reviewed grants for National Institutes of Health, Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health, articles for Developmental Psychology, Journal of Early Adolescence, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Child Development, Journal of Personality and for ten years was on the editorial board of Journal of Adolescent Research.

Professor Miller was director of Departmental Graduate Studies when they received their first CACREP accreditation, served on the Graduate Educational Policy Committee and evaluated two other universities’ graduate programs for their CACREP accreditation. She represented UMD for two years at the Twin Cities Campus Strategic Planning Committee for Research and Scholarship Issues, and six years on UMD Honors Program Committee. She served on the UEA contract negotiations 1997-2000 and UEA Executive Council 2009-2010.

Jon Berry, Associate Professor, Department of Theatre

Jon Berry is retiring from the Department of Theatre. He joined the UMD staff in 1991. For the past 19 years Dr. Berry has served as a teacher and theorist. He taught both Theatre History courses and Dramatic Theory courses. He is a playwright as well, and has written several plays and translations since coming to UMD, many which have been performed at various theaters in the United States.