Associate Dean Announcement

Message from the Office of the Dean
September 23, 2019

Dear College of Design Faculty and Staff:

As I announced in late July, we began a search to refill the existing Associate Dean for Academic Affairs position. In the context of recent rapid changes, establishing stability in these essential college functions is a priority.

I realized, however, that this transition is also a critical opportunity to examine our leadership structure and adjust to the new framework we established when we formed the College of Design just two years ago. Reflection and revision are essential to our success. After deliberation and consultation with internal and external colleagues, we have decided to fulfill the college academic affairs duties in a different way this year, to build on our existing capacity and experience, streamline our administration and to make full use of the college structure.

The three current School Heads, Erin Moore (Architecture & Environment), Charlene Liu (Art + Design), and Rich Margerum (Planning, Public Policy and Management) have agreed to share a portfolio of college-wide academic duties spanning curriculum, student and faculty affairs and will each become Associate Dean and Director of School, reflecting the dual nature of their roles. The Associate Dean title describes the role the School leaders have already assumed in academic affairs and college decision-making, as well as the new portfolio of duties. The School Director title captures their existing responsibilities leading and advancing the vision, strategic priorities and identity of their units and aligns with comparable institutional roles nationally. Approaching this iteratively, the new Dean and college leadership team can assess and revise this as needed for the following year.

The three Associate Deans and Directors of School, together with the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration and the Head of the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, will constitute the Core Leadership team of the College of Design this year, working with me, Assistant Dean Brooke Freed and Jay Ferris, Director of Business Operations, to advance our college priorities.

Thank you to those of you who submitted nominations, and to Erin Moore, Charlene Liu, and Rich Margerum for your service in these important leadership roles.

Sincerely,

Laura Vandenburgh
Interim Dean, College of Design