Texas Southern University is ushering in a new chapter of growth and innovation with the appointment of Dr. Mark Weatherspoon as the next Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (COSET). 

His arrival is the first major leadership hire under President J.W. Crawford III, signaling a transformation for TSU’s academic and research future.

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“Dr. Weatherspoon’s track record as a pioneering leader, strategic thinker, and dynamic researcher will elevate the college and position our students for unparalleled success,” said Crawford. “His leadership will usher in a transformative chapter for TSU, and I expect great things from him.”

A career built on research and leadership

 

Weatherspoon joins TSU after more than a decade at the joint Florida A&M University – Florida State University College of Engineering, where he advanced from assistant professor to professor before taking on leadership roles. His positions included associate department chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), ECE director of undergraduate programs and inaugural associate dean for Faculty Affairs and Academic Innovation.

Over the years, he has advised 17 graduate students, produced more than 65 publications and secured over $5.5 million in research funding.

“I’ve observed many deans along the way,” Weatherspoon told the Defender. “I’ve learned from their successes and from their failures that I think have well prepared me to lead here as the dean of COSET.”

Top priorities for COSET

Dr. Mark Weatherspoon’s priorities include expanding engineering degrees and building strong industry ties. Credit: Getty Images

Weatherspoon enters the role with a clear sense of priorities. His first goal is to stabilize leadership within the college. 

“One of the challenges coming into this role is that I have a number of interim deans and interim department chairs,” he said. “I will continue to evaluate the team-making decisions on hiring permanent deans, department chairs and assistant/associate deans.”

Secondly, he aims to expand TSU’s engineering offerings. Currently, the university offers just two ABET-accredited degrees (evaluated and approved by ABET to meet global standards for technical education): civil engineering and electrical and computer engineering.

The path will not be immediate. The engineering expansion plan involves first creating and approving new degree programs across multiple disciplines. Once approved, faculty will be recruited, students enrolled and the first cohort must graduate before accreditation can be sought. Future growth includes launching programs in mechanical, chemical, civil, aerospace and potentially environmental engineering.

“The starting approach would be for existing accredited undergraduate engineering degrees,” Weatherspoon said. “We want to add graduate components, starting with master’s programs. We will have a general master’s program in engineering with different concentrations in those areas.”

Strengthening partnerships and securing resources

Beyond academics, Weatherspoon emphasizes collaboration with industry and lawmakers to secure resources. He pointed to recent successes in legislative funding for TSU, including allocations for aviation and law.

“We’ve been very fortunate here in Texas that our legislature increased funding for us during this [legislative] cycle,” he said. “We’ve gotten funding that maybe a lot of institutions in the state did not receive. I attribute that to the good relations established by our president and our board with the people in the legislature.”

Weatherspoon also stressed the importance of alignment across leadership. 

“Across all HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities], there has not been the level of alignment that’s necessary to allow areas of growth and development in engineering and securing external research funding,” he explained. “The university moves forward with the alignment from the board down to the deans that allows allocations of internal resources to certain priorities to accomplish certain goals.”

Expanding the STEM pipeline

A central focus for Weatherspoon is widening access for African American students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). He envisions outreach programs, dual enrollment pathways and community partnerships that prepare students early for the rigor of STEM fields. 

“Engineering, but STEM is very math-intensive,” he said. “So, we cannot wait until they get here. We have to reach out and engage with the community, develop partnerships at the middle and high school level and community colleges, because if students are not immediately prepared, then we should encourage them to go to community colleges to get their first two years and then come to us.”

For Black students in particular, Weatherspoon believes in exposure to STEM fields to garner interest.

“Sometimes they don’t know what they need to take because there hasn’t been any exposure,” he added. “When we have our open houses and programs that will engage the students in the community, then we can start having those conversations. If this is exciting to you as a sixth, seventh grader, or eighth grader, these are the type of courses you need to make sure that you are taking in high school.”

Looking ahead

Weatherspoon is also confronting immediate infrastructure challenges. Some labs at COSET remain closed due to maintenance problems. 

As he steps into his role, Dr. Weatherspoon is optimistic about TSU’s future. 

“TSU has a rich legacy of academic excellence and a strong commitment to student success,” he said. “I look forward to building upon this foundation and working collaboratively to advance research, innovation, and workforce development within COSET.”

I cover education, housing, and politics in Houston for the Houston Defender Network as a Report for America corps member. I graduated with a master of science in journalism from the University of Southern...