Dear College of Fine Arts Colleagues,
As we embark upon this new academic year, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for all of your hard work. I’m excited to see everyone back on campus as we resume classes and prepare for a full year of performances, showcases and exhibitions and more.
I wanted to share some important updates about staffing changes in the college’s leadership.
- Megan Alrutz is now serving as interim chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, after Robert Ramirez stepped down from the role to accept a new job as head of the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. We are launching a national search in the coming year to fill this position.
- Department of Design Chair Kate Canales is be on research leave through the fall and will return in spring 2023. Professor Monica Penick is serving as Acting Chair during this period.
- Our search for a new director in the Butler School of Music did not yield a hire this year. I’m grateful to Jeff Hellmer, who has agreed to continue on for an additional year as interim chair. We will be engaging a search firm to launch a new search in the coming year.
- As I shared in a previous message, we are welcoming Raquel Monroe as our new Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Academic Affairs. She started last month and is already digging into her new her portfolio, focused on graduate studies and research and creative practice.
- Julie Schell has been promoted into a new role of Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Technology in the Office of Continuing and Professional Education and New Education Ventures in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Additionally, Julie will continue to support the College of Fine Arts as the Executive Director for Instructional Continuity, Innovation and Accreditation.
- As I shared earlier, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion John Yancey retired Aug. 31. The office is being reconfigured and expanded into an Office of Diversity, Community Engagement and Public Practice, which will be led by an associate dean, a full-time program coordinator and faculty director of the Fine Arts Diversity Council. I’m excited to announce that Butler School of Music Associate Professor Charles Carson will be chairing the Fine Arts Diversity Council. More news will be forthcoming about these additional appointments.
I want to congratulate our colleagues on these new roles, and I want to thank those who have stepped down for their longstanding service to their departments and the College of Fine Arts.
Sincerely,
