USM picks Karen Coats as graduate dean

Karen Coats
Karen Coats
Karen Coats

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi (AP) — Educator and administrator Karen Coats has been appointed dean of the graduate school at the University of Southern Mississippi.

She began work this week in Hattiesburg.

Coats is a native of Springfield, Louisiana. She will move to USM from Mississippi State University in Starkville where she spent the past three years as associate dean of the graduate school. Coats had been on the Mississippi State faculty since 1990.

As dean of the graduate school, Coats will manage USM’s 75 master, specialist and doctoral programs.

Coats received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University and her doctorate from Louisiana State University.

Coats takes over from Maureen Ryan, who has served as interim graduate dean since the death in February of longtime graduate dean Susan Siltanen.