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Northeastern Illinois University Awards Tenure and Promotions to Three Faculty Members

A photo of Northeastern Illinois University Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs R. Shayne Cofer, Ph.D., with Garo Agopian, Ph.D., and Sheng Liu, Ph.D., as they received promotions to Associate Professor during the April 16, 2026 Northeastern Board of Trustees meeting.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Northeastern Illinois University awarded tenure and promotion to associate professor to three members of the faculty, effective Aug. 17, 2026 (July 1, 2026, for Department Chairs). An additional 17 faculty members will be promoted to the rank of professor and two will be awarded Professional Advancement Increases.  

The following faculty members were introduced and approved by the Board of Trustees to receive this promotion during the Board’s April 16, 2026 meeting:

A headshot photo of Garo Agopian, Ph.D., smiling, wearing a dark suit against a white/gray background.

Garo Agopian, Ph.D., Management and Marketing
Dr. Agopian earned his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. He teaches undergraduate courses in marketing — particularly social media marketing, mobile marketing and marketing management — and has also taught in Northeastern’s MBA program. He has contributed to curriculum development in both existing and emerging areas, including launching the Mobile Marketing course. Dr. Agopian’s research focuses on the intersection of branding, social media marketing and consumer behavior, with particular emphasis on the presentation and perception of expertise, social influence, social anxiety, personal brands, and related cultural and individual factors.

A headshot photo of Sheng Liu, Ph.D., wearing glassed and a dark suit with a white collared shirt and red tie, against a gray tiled background.

Sheng Liu, Ph.D., Accounting, Business Law and Finance
Dr. Liu earned his Ph.D. in Accounting from Drexel University. He teaches undergraduate courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting and data analytics, as well as accounting courses in the MBA program. He has contributed to curriculum development, including developing Data Analytics in Accounting and integrating analytics across the accounting curriculum. Dr. Liu’s research focuses on financial and managerial accounting and auditing within supply-chain contexts, examining how strategic alignment between suppliers and customers affects firms’ financial performance, audit pricing and the longevity of supply chain relationships.

Mohammad Tavakolifar, Ph.D., Accounting, Business Law and Finance
Dr. Tavakolifar earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Morgan State University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in accounting, where he integrates data analytics into the curriculum, mentors student research, serves as coordinator of the accounting programs and as the primary academic advisor for master’s students in Accounting. Dr. Tavakolifar’s research focuses on voluntary financial and nonfinancial disclosures, and has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals in the accounting field. He is actively engaged in academic and professional service through participation in national and international scholarly associations and professional accounting organizations.

Promotions to Professor

Northeastern also awarded promotions to the rank of professor to the following faculty members:

Professional Advancement Increases

The following professors have been approved for Professional Advancement Increases (increased pay) by demonstrating superior teaching/performance of primary duties; superior or significant research/creative activity; and superior or significant service in the aggregate (taken as a whole) through at least the last five years prior to their evaluation and approval by Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs R. Shayne Cofer, Ph.D.:

Top photo (left to right): Northeastern Illinois University Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs R. Shayne Cofer, Ph.D.; Garo Agopian, Ph.D.; and Sheng Liu, Ph.D.