Professor Beatty, who has her B.A. from the University of Colorado, M.A. from Tufts University, M.P.A. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and Ph.D. from Washington State University, served as dean of SPA from 1996 to 2008. From 1992-1996 she was the resident dean and professor of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She also served CU-Colorado Springs as associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, chair of the political science department, and associate and assistant professor of political science. Dr. Beatty was a visiting professor of political science at the University of Wyoming and a professional researcher for the Southwest Center for Urban Research and the Institute for Urban Studies in Houston, TX.