Message from the Dean

When I started as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in 2014, it never crossed my mind that going on a decade later I would still be in this role. During this time, I have had the pleasure to work with amazing faculty, staff, and students. This same span of time has presented us, as a society, University, and School, with many, many challenges—cultural, societal, and epidemiological; and with significant changes in University leadership—three Presidents, four Provosts and four Deans of Faculty. Despite these challenges and changes, the School of Arts and Sciences has pushed forward. The School has evolved and moved toward emphasizing cultural awareness and empathy—making sure that equity and inclusion are core goals AND guiding principles, and we have pushed our teaching and research missions forward and expanded how we work and what we work on, even in the face of huge obstacles. Throughout these changes and with this evolution, we have continued to work on our mission of providing and performing world class research, teaching, and learning. All of this has led us to the point where we are about to launch a new multi-year strategic plan. It is with all of this in mind, I write to let you know that as of July 1, 2023, I will step down as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

While I remain committed to the School and University, it is the appropriate and strategic time for someone else to have the opportunity to lead this school during the next many years and during this next strategic plan. For academic communities to remain healthy and robust, leadership needs to refresh and turnover and as mentioned above I have stayed in this particular role longer than I ever imagined. We change, the world changes, circumstances change, and personally I am ready to move on to the next chapter and challenge. It is a privilege to serve as Dean. It is not a right, nor is it an obligation. I am proud to have worked with all of you and for the work we have done together. I am appreciative to have had a hand in building significant programs and infrastructure, foundational relationships, philanthropy, and multidisciplinary enterprises while Dean. I have invested much time, energy, and personal capital in this role—for the betterment of the School, its faculty, staff and students, and the University.

I thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as your Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Sincerely,

Gloria Culver, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences

Read more about Dean Gloria Culver.