Coastal Carolina University faculty members John Beard and John Navin have accepted appointments as associate deans of the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The appointments, announced by Lynn Franken, dean of the college, are effective Aug. 16.

"Our college is growing rapidly in size, quality and complexity," said Franken. "We are very fortunate that faculty members of the caliber, energy and vision of Dr. Navin and Dr. Beard have stepped forward to assist with the administration of the college at the most exciting time in its history."

A professor of English, Beard joined the Coastal faculty in 1988. His responsibilities as associate dean will include student academic matters, scheduling, curriculum, and budget coordination. Prior to coming to Coastal, Beard was an instructor at Calhoun Community College in Alabama and a graduate teaching assistant at Florida State University and Middle Tennessee State University. Beard earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.

Navin joined the Coastal faculty in 1999 as an assistant professor of history and served last year as director of special projects for the college. His new responsibilities as associate dean will involve working with the student advisory council, marketing and publicity, fundraising and other external matters, including serving as liaison with the college's Board of Visitors. Before he joined the Coastal faculty, Navin was an assistant professor of history at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina. He also has served as a lecturer in history at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, where he is a visiting assistant professor each summer. Navin earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, a master's degree from Boston College and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University.