Lang Seeks Interim Dean
Four Accept Nomination
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
The first steps have been taken toward selecting an interim dean for Lang.
Of the roughly 25 nominations for the interim-dean position, four have accepted the nomination. Lang's executive council made the announcement in an email to faculty on April 30.
"As of 5:30 pm on Friday, April 30, four people have accepted the nomination for the position of Interim Dean," the e-mail read. The message went on to list Stefania DeKenessey, Scott Salmon, Elaine Savory, and Doug Wood.
Salmon, Savory and Wood couldn't be reached for comment as of press time.
DeKenessey, chair of arts, has long been an active participant in the governance of the college and many think she would be qualified for the job.
"If my name gets thrown into the hat, which I think it has been or will be, then yes, I am considering [the candidacy]," DeKenessey said in an interview on April 29. "I'd be in some ways very honored and delighted to accept it."
Nominations for the interim position were submitted to Laura Copland, assistant director of curriculum, by April 30.
Copland declined to offer specific names of the nominees, but did say that "more than 25 people" were put forward.
Those nominated were given the chance to either accept or reject their own candidacy. Only four people accepted.
The April 30 announcement also said that five people who had been nominated hadn't replied yet, which means that more candidates could be put forward.
"If my name gets thrown into the hat, which I think it has been or will be, then yes, I am considering [the candidacy]," DeKenessey said in an interview on April 29. "I'd be in some ways very honored and delighted to accept it."
Nominations for the interim position were submitted to Laura Copland, assistant director of curriculum, by April 30.
Copland declined to offer specific names of the nominees, but did say that "more than 25 people" were put forward.
Those nominated were given the chance to either accept or reject their own candidacy. Only four people accepted.
Joseph Heathcott, chair of urban studies and one of the nominees who declined the position, said that he thought the faculty had been given a good pool of candidates to choose from. "But, we need more," he wrote in an e-mail to the *Free Press*.
The April 30 announcement also said that five people who had been nominated hadn't replied yet, which means that more candidates could be put forward.
Gordon came to the deanship under similar circumstances. In 2008, he was the only person of the eight who were nominated not to decline the deanship.
During a Lang faculty meeting on April 27, eligibility for the position was greatly expanded. Initially, only tenured and cross-divisional professors could be nominated, but after much debate, faculty agreed that criteria should be expanded to include all faculty members.
"I very strongly encouraged at our last faculty meeting for everybody to nominate whoever they wish," DeKenessy said. "It's always best to cast a wide net."
"I very strongly encouraged at our last faculty meeting for everybody to nominate whoever they wish," DeKenessy said. "It's always best to cast a wide net."
Wood was able to be nominated because of the expansion of criteria. He is the only candidate who isn't a member of the faculty. Of all the candidates, he has been at the college for the shortest amount of time. At the beginning of the semester Wood took over for Amos Himmelstein, who had left to work at Occidental College in California.
The interim dean will be appointed to the position for a year at which time they may either choose to stand for the full position or step aside for the results of the national search.
The interim dean position will help provide a smooth transition between Gordon and whomever is appointed next. Because Gordon's announcement came so late in the academic year, there wasn't enough time to pursue a national search and the interim will help bridge the gap.
"Neil kind of stepped in as a semi-dean for that last semester that [former dean Jonathan Veitch] was dean so there was a really smooth transition," Briedenbach said. "I'm presuming that whoever is going to steps in for this one year or more is going to take that same approach."
The interim dean position will help provide a smooth transition between Gordon and whomever is appointed next. Because Gordon's announcement came so late in the academic year, there wasn't enough time to pursue a national search and the interim will help bridge the gap.
"Neil kind of stepped in as a semi-dean for that last semester that [former dean Jonathan Veitch] was dean so there was a really smooth transition," Briedenbach said. "I'm presuming that whoever is going to steps in for this one year or more is going to take that same approach."
Going forward, the candidates will address the Lang faculty at a meeting on May 4. Voting begins when the meeting ends. Faculty will have three days to vote on their top three preferred candidates. The top three names will then be sent to Provost Tim Marshall. The Provost will consult President Bob Kerrey, who will make the final decision.
Kerrey said that he anticipates this appointment will be similar to Gordon's appointment two years ago. "He had strong support of faculty and students two years ago when I made that selection," Kerrey said. "It's unlikely that I'll make a judgement any different than the one being recommended to me by the faculty and the provost."
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