Dean's Office

Dean Honora Chapman

After receiving her B.A. and Ph.D. in Classics at Stanford University, Dr. Honora Howell Chapman came to Fresno State in 2002 as an Assistant Professor of Classics and Humanities, and soon became the Coordinator of Classics in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. From May 2009 to June 2014, she served as the Director of the Smittcamp Family Honors College.  Dr. Chapman became associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities in January 2016 and began serving as interim dean in July 2019. She was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities in May 2021.

In 2013, Dr. Chapman received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She also inaugurated the university lecture series Fresno State Talks in Spring 2013 and delivered the first Fresno State Convocation faculty address in August 2014. 

As a scholar, Dr. Chapman has focused especially upon the crossroads of cultures in the Greek texts of Flavius Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian. Dr. Chapman contributed both translation and commentary to the Brill Josephus Project volume Flavius Josephus: Translation and Commentary, ed. Steve Mason, vol. 1a: Judean War 2 (2008); she is currently working on Judean War 5. Her latest publication is the Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Josephus, co-edited with Zuleika Rodgers (Trinity College Dublin), 2016.

Dr. Chapman currently serves on the boards of San Joaquin Valley Town Hall and California Humanities.

Dr. Chapman’s family has roots in the San Joaquin Valley stretching back to the 1860s, making her a fourth-generation resident. She looks forward to helping the College’s faculty and staff ensure that future generations of Fresno State students enjoy a superior, enriched education in the Arts and Humanities so that they may help this Valley continue to grow more culturally and intellectually vibrant.

Acting Associate Dean Matthew Darling

As a faculty member in the Fresno State Department of Music since 1991, Dr. Matthew Darling has demonstrated a consistent pattern of exemplary service to Fresno State and our community for over 33 years. He chaired the Department of Music from Spring 2005 through Spring 2006 and again for two consecutive four-year terms from 2016 through July 2024. During the latter eight years, Dr. Darling chaired from seed to fruition the Department’s addition of its Bachelor of Music degree, which was successfully implemented in Fall 2022. He also oversaw the Department’s recent accreditation renewal with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the implementation of a new Music Technology minor in Fall 2023. Under Dr. Darling’s leadership, the Department is ready to propose the conversion of its Master of Arts program into a new Master of Music degree. At the university level, Dr. Darling has served on the Academic Senate and for six years as a member of the Academic Senate Personnel Committee. At the college level, Dr. Darling has served on the Personnel Committee and Executive Committee, chairing the latter in the early 2000s, helping to lay the groundwork for the College’s Honors Program. Besides serving as a Department Chair, Dr. Darling has held numerous other leadership positions in the Department. He has chaired several faculty and staff searches and chair of the Department’s Personnel Committee for several years.

While he loves his work as a professor and percussionist, he is most proud of his role as husband and father of two sons and two daughters.
> Read Dr. Darling's full biography

Dean's Office Staff

Cathie Salanitro, Senior Budget Analyst

Brenna Barks, Administrative Analyst/The Press at CSU, Fresno [NOTE: The Press is not accepting new submissions until August 2025]

David Gaines, College IT Liaison

Christine Simon, Director of Development

Kristin Young, Development Analyst

Benjamin Kirk, Communication Specialist

Mailing Address

California State University, Fresno 
College of Arts & Humanities 
Office of the Dean 
2380 E. Keats MS/MB99 
Fresno CA 93740-8024

Phone/FAX/email

(559) 278-3056 
FAX: (559) 278-6758 
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