Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Beth Theiss-Morse has agreed to serve as Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences effective July 1. Beth brings considerable academic administrative experience to this position having served five years as Chair of the Political Science Department and currently completing four years as Associate Dean for Faculty. In her leadership roles she has gained the respect of the college as well as campus leaders. She seems to have her pulse on everything that is happening in the college, its priorities, and needs and I have full confidence that she will help us continue to move the college forward. I look forward to working closely with Beth and the other leaders in the college as we continue the positive momentum of the last few years.
Over the last ten days I have met with more than 125 faculty and staff members in the college, including associate and assistant deans, department chairs and directors as well as faculty members of the college Executive Committee to listen to their thoughts, concerns, and suggestions as we enter into this next chapter of the life of the college. I have had 35 email exchanges and a few phone calls to discuss the college and to receive possible nominations for interim dean. I want to thank each of you who attended one of the listening sessions, who wrote or called, and for engaging in this process.
I received a number of nominations for who could serve in the role of interim, an indicator that the college has several outstanding leaders who could have stepped in. Beth has strong support in the college and I know she will guide the college thoughtfully over the next year. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Beth for her acceptance of this important leadership role. I know that each of you will provide her support as she assumes this new role.
This summer I will appoint a search committee for the next dean and engage with a search consultant so that we are prepared to begin a national search in the fall. More details will follow about that process.
I look forward to our next steps together.
