West named new architecture dean at Mississippi State

Contact: Maridith Geuder

A longtime educator and practicing professional is the new dean of architecture at Mississippi State University.

James L. West, former associate dean and, since last year, interim head of the School of Architecture, has been named to the top position by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning. He succeeds John McRae, who left to join a private firm in Maryland.

"Jim West brings outstanding academic and professional credentials to this leadership role," said George Verrall, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. "We are confident that under his guidance the School of Architecture will continue to provide outstanding academic experiences for its students and expand its service to Mississippi."

Associate dean since 1998 of Mississippi's only professional architecture education program, West previously was an interior design professor at the University of Florida, where he was named teacher of the year for the 1997-98 school year. He holds bachelor's degrees in interior design and architecture, and a master's in architecture, all from U.F.

At MSU, he has taught courses in architectural design, interior design construction, lighting design, and furniture design. In addition, he has served as director and coordinator of the school's Design Discovery, an annual eight-day summer studio for high school students.

Among West's research interests is designing for persons with disabilities, an area in which he has written and consulted extensively. He is co-author of "Accessible Design Review Guide," a McGraw-Hill publication, and "Building Standards for Educational Facilities for Handicapped Children," which was produced by the Florida Department of Education.

In addition, his book-length "Guidelines for Designing Barrier-Free Environments for Handicapped Children" now is under review for publication.

Established in 1973, MSU's School of Architecture offers a five-year undergraduate curriculum, with four years of study on the Starkville campus and the final year in Jackson.