Dana Basinger, communication arts instructor and course coordinator at Samford University since 2001, has been named Director of Freshmen Life at the University. She will assume her new post June 1.

Basinger will replace Dr. Amanda Borden, who will return to the classroom as a full-time faculty member in communication studies after five years as Director of Freshmen.

"I look forward to working with Dana Basinger as she gives guidance and leadership to the freshman experience at Samford," said Provost J. Bradley Creed. "I would also like to express my appreciation to Dr. Amanda Borden for her leadership with our freshmen over the last five years."

During 2003, Basinger served as chairperson of Core Literacies. The team of 16 developed operational definitions and assessment criteria for four literacies, now known as Transformational Learning Abilities. She was coordinator of the full-team presentation at last summer's Faculty Institute.

Basinger has been an active participant in Problem-Based Learning, representing Samford in various presentations on the subject.

She was a leader in such initiatives as the Student Success Seminar, in which she developed an orientation course for conditionally admitted students, and the Learning Community for Undeclared Majors, which she piloted with Dr. Doug Clapp of Cultural Perspectives and Suzanne Martin of Horizons.

Basinger began teaching at Samford as an adjunct instructor in 1997. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. with honors in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.