Professor of Economics Elliott Parker has been appointed to the position of director of the Core Curriculum, Provost Kevin Carman announced on July 1.

Parker will serve as the administrative director of the University's Core Curriculum and will advise the administration on matters relating to the core, Carman said. In addition, Parker will be leading the Core Board as it works to implement the revisions to the Core Curriculum that the faculty voted to approve this past spring. Carman said that the effort level associated with the director position has been increased to half-time as a consequence of these additional leadership responsibilities.

Parker received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas, Arlington and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Washington. He has been with the University since 1992 and has a notable record of service as an academic leader, including serving as Faculty Senate Chair in 2009-2010 during the state's fiscal crisis. He previously served for three years as chair of the department of economics. He served as the College of Business' Senator in the Faculty Senate from 2006-2008 and was a member of the Faculty Senate's Executive Board from 2007-2011.

His University awards include: Faculty Senate Outstanding Service Award (2012); Regents' Academic Advisor Award from the Nevada System of Higher Education (2009); B.J. Fuller Award for Excellence in Teaching (2009); University Undergraduate Advisor of the Year (2008) and College of Business Senior Scholar Mentor Award (1999, 2008).

Parker has been an instructor in the core social sciences and of capstone and diversity courses, and he has served on, and chaired, departmental and college curriculum committees.

A respected scholar in his field, Parker has served as co-editor of the China Economic Review, including the review's Editorial Board from 2004-present. He has also served as chair of the Northern Nevada International Center's Board of Directors. Parker has authored or co-authored more than 30 journal articles, book chapters and proceedings. In addition, he has been a frequent newspaper and magazine contributor on economic issues in Nevada, in the United States, China, and the world.