Mark S. Searle

In his capacity as Vice President for Academic Personnel, Dr. Searle's responsibilities include the development and management of all academic policies, the promotion and tenure process, and faculty development. He assists the deans in the development of mentoring programs and the creation of web based mentoring resources for use by faculty and administrators. He works closely with with chairs, directors and deans on all academic personnel related matters.
Dr. Searle has served as the Dean of the College of Human Services at ASU and as Vice President and Provost of ASU's West campus. He joined ASU after an extensive career in Canada where he was the Founding Director of the multidisciplinary Health, Leisure, and Human Performance Research Institute and head of an academic program in Recreation Studies at the University of Manitoba. Prior to his university appointment Dr. Searle served in various management positions within municipal and provincial government. The Provincial Government of Manitoba, the National Therapeutic Recreation Society and the University of Manitoba have honored Dr. Searle for his achievements.
Dr. Searle is widely published on the relationship between leisure behaviour and the psychological well being of older adults, with particular attention to the issues of aging and constraints on leisure and the linkage between health and leisure behavior. He is a past co-editor of the Therapeutic Recreation Journal and a former Associate Editor of the Journal of Leisure Research, Schole, Therapeutic Recreation Journal, and Recreation Canada. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration's Outstanding Dissertation Award and the Province of Manitoba's Prix Award for Research. He has been elected as a fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.