Dr. James Hedges

Dean

An expert in strategic innovation, Dr. James Hedges is a learning leader driven by a longstanding passion for developing educational solutions to meet future workforce and stakeholder needs. Serving in the capacity of dean for Weber State University’s Division of Online & Continuing Education since 2022, he has extensive experience in corporate and institutional partnerships, curriculum design, training, and administration of online and competency-based learning. 

With a focus on workforce readiness and meeting market demand, he has built institutional partnerships with Discover Financial Services, Salt Lake Community College, Mountain America Credit Union and Intermountain Health Care among others. He has consulted and trained for major companies including Petzl, Nammo, Phillips Edison & Company, and the Competency-based Education Network. 

Dr. Hedges has robust experience leading college-wide strategic planning initiatives, having chaired a university-wide committee on academic innovation, chaired a college-wide transfer initiative and served on a strategy-focused institutional enrollment steering committee. In the first year of his tenure at Weber State University, Dr. Hedges led efforts to develop a new strategic plan for the division and advocated for a refined program-creation process that champions a clear method for educational program design, implementation and review. 

Dr. Hedges has also led his division and the university in expanding online programming. The strategy is built upon the pillars of quality, access and demand, program expansion and support. He also partnered across campus to launch four new fully online programs in fall of 2023.

A Ph.D. in organizational communication who has taught undergraduate and graduate courses such as Organizational Communication, Interviewing and Negotiation and Leadership Communication, Dr. Hedges has firsthand knowledge of the changing landscape of higher education and the demands on students in today's busy world. He is a strong advocate for adult learners and nontraditional students, and he is dedicated to fulfilling the university’s mission to meet students where they are. As dean, he oversees teams dedicated to professional development courses and certifications, community education courses, online education development and administration, and creating pathways that expand access to educational opportunities. 

Dr. Hedges is committed to student success and believes that Weber State's unified commitment to equity and leadership within the changing landscape of higher education is crucial to executing the institution's mission.