Northwestern Announces New Dean of Faculty

July 8, 2026

ALVA, Okla. — Northwestern Oklahoma State University has named Dr. Roxie James as the new dean of faculty.

Dr. James replaces Dr. Steve Maier, who assumed the role of vice president for academic affairs recently upon the retirement of Dr. James Bell.

Dr. James has served as chair of the Department of English, Foreign Language, and Humanities since the spring of 2022. She has also been an associate professor of English since that time, after serving as an assistant professor of English from 2017 to 2022 and a lecturer of English from 2016 to 2017.

As dean of faculty, Dr. James will serve as a bridge between faculty and administration while supporting academic programs, faculty development and the day-to-day operations of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Professional Studies.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Roxie James serve as the dean of faculty at Northwestern,” Maier said. “With a decade of experience at Northwestern, a history of filling leadership roles in higher education, and a demonstrated commitment to supporting faculty and students, she is well-suited for this new responsibility.”

For Dr. James, the transition feels like a natural next step in a career spent serving Northwestern's faculty and students.

"In many ways, it is an extension of the work I have been doing, just at a broader scale and in deeper service to the whole institution," Dr. James said. "What excites me most is the opportunity to continue to serve the people I have worked alongside for nearly a decade. I have watched Northwestern navigate real challenges with remarkable resilience, and I am truly excited to continue to be a part of that."

Throughout her time at Northwestern, Dr. James has served in numerous leadership roles across campus. She currently serves as chair of the Northwestern AI Impact Committee and serves as an appointee to the Oklahoma Education Commission, is a member and co-chair of the AI Impact on Higher Education Policy and Learning Committee, and is a certified Higher Education Peer Reviewer for Quality Matters.

Past leadership roles include chair of the Honors Program and vice president of the Faculty Senate.

Reflecting on nearly a decade at Northwestern, she said the university's people have made the greatest impact.

"Northwestern has given me so much over the past nine years—colleagues who became mentors, students who reminded me why this work matters, and a community that shows up for itself," Dr. James said. "I step into this role with a lot of gratitude and a genuine commitment to giving that back."

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