The Barton School of Business has officially merged its Departments of Marketing and Economics into a single, unified academic unit: the Department of Marketing and Economics. This strategic alignment, approved by the Kansas Board of Regents, is effective immediately and reflects the Barton School’s commitment to interdisciplinary innovation, academic collaboration and operational efficiency.
Dr. Seth Cockrell, who has served as chair of the marketing department since 2022, has been appointed chair of the newly merged department. With unanimous support from faculty across both disciplines, Cockrell assumes this role bringing a strong blend of industry experience, academic leadership and forward-looking vision.
“This merger represents an exciting and strategic step forward for the Barton School,” said Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “By uniting two disciplines that are deeply interconnected in both theory and practice, we are creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation in teaching and research, and thoughtful resource optimization. I can’t think of a better leader to guide this transition than Dr. Cockrell.”