Santos Named Dean of GGC School of Liberal Arts

Dr. Adolfo Santos has been named dean of the Georgia Gwinnett College School of Liberal Arts. He
replaces Dr. Lois C. Richardson, who is now serving as acting senior vice president for Academic and 
Student Affairs and provost.
“Dr. Santos not only has broad experiences in all aspects of higher education, but his background has 
prepared him well for GGC’s focus on student success,” said Richardson. “We look forward to his 
leadership in continuing the growth of the School of Liberal Arts.”
A native of Houston, Texas, Santos earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Houston 
in 1998. He began teaching at the university shortly after graduating. Santos’ areas of instruction include 
American government, Texas politics, U.S. Congress and American legislatures, minority politics, Hispanic 
politics, campaign politics, public policy analysis, public administration and research methods. 
Santos received a prestigious American Council on Education Fellowship, during which he spent a year 
being mentored by California State University-Monterey Bay President Dianne Harrison and Provost 
Kathryn Cruz-Uribe. The fellowship broadened his experience in the financial and business administration, 
academic affairs, advancement, student affairs and community engagement aspects of higher education. 
He also received leadership training in the areas of university finance, strategic planning, public relations, 
advancement, and government relations through the American Association of State Colleges and 
Universities Millennium Leadership Institute. 
His previous positions include special assistant to the president and chief liaison officer at the University of 
Houston, where he also served as chair of the Department of Social Sciences. Santos also applied his skills 
in program evaluation and research for the university’s Center for Public Policy and the Center for Mexican 
American Studies.

“I am thrilled to be the new dean of the School of Liberal Arts,” said Santos. “GGC’s open access mission,
combined with its success in retaining and graduating students, makes it a wonderful team of which to 
be a part. The GGC faculty and the School of Liberal Arts are committed to the success of our students, 
and their mentoring and teaching are a perfect reflection of that commitment. Combining these unique 
characteristics with a Quality Enhancement Plan that prepares our students for the global market place 
makes this a great and exciting institution.” 
In addition to serving the University of Houston on a variety of committees and special teams, Santos has 
a history of community service. He was a member of Houston Mayor Anise Parker’s Hispanic Advisory 
Committee and a board member of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the 
boards of Children at Risk and Education Foundation of Harris County and participated in a number of 
community programs focused on education and the Hispanic community.
Santos is extensively published and has participated in numerous conferences as a presenter and panelist. 
He regularly appears in the news media in discussions about a variety of political issues.