Longtime UNLV social work professor Esther Langston has been named interim director of the School of Social Work for one year, beginning July 1, President Carol C. Harter announced today.

"Esther Langston has been a member of the social work faculty at UNLV since 1970," Harter said. "With her many years of experience, particularly in the process of preparing UNLV's program for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education, Esther will provide the leadership to successfully complete the process."

The school currently holds conditional accreditation. Since last fall, the school's faculty, under the leadership of school director Leroy Pelton, have been working on a restoration report for presentation to the council by Aug. 15. Pelton recently announced his resignation.

"The faculty have been working diligently on this report," said Provost Douglas Ferraro. "We are confident that it will be ready in time to meet the Aug. 15 deadline and that it will result in full accreditation for the School of Social Work."