Hagglund Named Dean of MU’s School of Health Professions

May 20, 2013

Story Contact(s):
Christian Basi, BasiC@missouri.edu, 573-882-4430

By Jerett Rion

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Provost Brian Foster has announced that Kristofer Hagglund, director of the Master of Public Health Program and associate dean of the MU School of Health Professions, has been named dean of the MU School of Health Professions. Hagglund, who has been the associate dean since 2001, will officially begin serving as dean on July 1.

“As associate dean, Kristofer has a deep understanding of the School of Health Professions,” Foster said. “His leadership in helping create the Master of Public Health program at MU demonstrates his impressive institutional leadership due to his ability to bring together faculty from many colleges and schools across campus.”

Hagglund received a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and a master’s degree and doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research focuses on the need for improved access to health care for persons with disabilities and consumer-directed care. His recent publications address financing and delivery of personal assistant services, health and rehabilitation policy, and non-traditional career opportunities for psychologists.

“The School of Health Professions is the fastest growing school on campus as measured by enrollment,” Foster said. “In addition, the school is on track to increase dramatically the amount of research by its faculty. Kristofer is extremely supportive of both educational programs and research. We’re excited about the future of the school.”

Hagglund was a 2000-2001 Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow in the Washington, D.C. office of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), president of the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology of the American Psychological Association in 2003-2004, and was a member of the Institute of Medicine’s 2005-2006 Committee on Improving the Disability Decision Process. He currently teaches a graduate level course, “Health Care in the United States.”

“I am honored to be asked to serve as the dean of the MU School of Health Professions,” Hagglund said. “I consider it a privilege to work with our outstanding faculty, students, staff and alumni. They are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the lives of Missourians as well as people across the nation and world. This commitment of caring and making valuable, lasting improvements to health care is inspiring to us all.”

Hagglund is a member of the Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation Committee, the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Advisory Board, the One Health/One Medicine Advisory Board for Mizzou Advantage, and the Curricular Issues Committee for the Integrating the Mizzou Experience Initiative at MU. He also is a member of the Workforce Development Advisory Committee for the Missouri Hospital Association.

Hagglund replaces Richard Oliver who was the founding dean of the School of Health Professions in 2000. Oliver announced earlier that he would step down from the position at the end of this academic year to start a two-year term as president of The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP) in October 2013. ASAHP is an organization dedicated to advocating and promoting allied health education among elected government officials, encouraging partnerships among members, strengthening research and scholarship, and developing academic leaders for the future.

“The School of Health Professions has a history of excellence,” Hagglund said. “Our faculty are leaders in cutting-edge research in areas such as arthritis treatment, stroke recovery and language development. Working alongside these outstanding faculty members, our students are able to conduct their own research, gaining recognition at state and national conferences. Following graduation, many of our graduates have become leaders in their respective fields and helped shaped the future of health care delivery. Our staff members also have been recognized as leaders on the Mizzou campus and received top awards in advising and other professional categories. I look forward to helping the school build on this foundation of excellence.”