CHESS Interim Dean and Update on CES Dean Search

Michael Lynn will serve as Interim Dean in the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences (CHESS).

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Lynn has accepted the position of Interim Dean in the College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences (CHESS); his appointment follows the resignation of Dr. Anne Gregory on October 25, 2024. I am confident that Dr. Lynn will seamlessly move into this position as we launch the search for the permanent Dean.

I am currently forming the CHESS Dean Search Committee, which will be chaired by College of Nursing Dean, Dr. Amy Fry. This committee will include at least one faculty member from each CHESS department, and different faculty ranks will be included; the Faculty Senate will also have a representative. I expect to give this committee its official charge later this month, and the job announcement should be finalized and posted before the end of the semester.

Ideally, the campus interviews with the finalists should occur early in the Spring 2025 semester, with the expected starting date of the new Dean to be early in the summer.

I also want to take this opportunity to provide an update of the Dean search for the College of Engineering and Sciences (CES). Assisted by Academic Search, we are currently seeking nominations and applications for this position; click here to see the position description. We ask that you please share this announcement with your networks.

The deadline for full consideration is December 2. I appreciate College of Business Dean Rachel Clapp Smith, as well as the members of the search committee, for their willingness to serve.  The semi-final Zoom interviews should take place in early January, and the campus interviews should occur a few weeks later.

Dean Bruce Berdanier will continue to serve as CES Dean through the remainder of the academic year.

I will continue to provide updates on both searches as we continue to move through the process.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Marie T. Mora, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs