Dr. Bangs was named as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost as of January 1, 2023.
Dr. Bangs brings more than 20 years of higher education experience to OU, most recently as the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Cottey College, an independent women’s liberal arts institution located in Nevada, MO.
Prior to Cottey, Bangs was the Associate Provost of the College for Women, Dean of the School of Business and Professional Studies, and Professor of Economics at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN, one of the largest private women’s universities in the nation. She has also taught at DeVry University Online and at Oakland University in Rochester, MI. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Minnesota and holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Bangs co-authored an annual research report on women in corporate leadership in Minnesota from 2008 to 2018 and has published numerous journal articles and textbook chapters on pedagogy in economics. In 2021, she participated in Bravely Confronting Racism in Higher Education, a workshop offered by the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
At Cottey College, Dr. Bangs led the self-study process for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, collaborated with faculty on a complete revision of the Faculty Handbook, and oversaw the creation of new academic programs in psychology, secondary education, and elementary education. At St. Catherine University, she developed strategic initiatives for the School of Business and Professional Studies and the College for Women, implemented an academic program prioritization process, and launched a new MBA program.