Dean
Preston Stepping Down
Dr.
Samuel H. Preston has decided not to seek reappointment
when his tenure as Dean of the School
of Arts and Sciences ends on December 31, 2004. He will return instead to scholarship
and teaching in the sociology department and the Population
Studies Center.
In
President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi's recent announcement,
they described the dean as, "An accomplished scholar and
a strong administrative manager, Sam began his seven-year
deanship with a clear sense of what he wanted to accomplish.
With the School's academic mission as his guiding light,
he brought discipline and rigor to the strategic and financial
planning needed to support that mission. As those who know
him will attest, Sam possesses pragmatism and vision in
equal measure; he has drawn on those qualities tirelessly
in his quest to provide the best environment possible for
both students and faculty."
Faculty
recruitment has flourished during his tenure, with 183
new standing faculty appointed and an increase of 42% in
fully endowed chairs. The total faculty size also grew,
from 446 to 483.
Throughout
his term, Dr. Preston has "worked hard--and successfully--to
solidify the School's financial base, reversing a structural
deficit and setting the School on a positive trajectory." The
total endowment has grown by 37% and research funding has
increased from $43.3 million to $63.7 million. Dr. Preston
also leaves the School's physical facilities in measurably
better shape, with construction of a new Life Sciences
complex underway, and renovations in progress or planned
for Williams Hall, Bennett Hall, Solomon Laboratories and
the Music Building.
As
well as "greatly improving funding support for graduate students,
Dr. Preston has focused on enhancing undergraduate education,
overseeing such new initiatives as the Center for Teaching
and Learning, which promotes excellence in the classroom
by helping faculty and teaching assistants be the best
teachers they can be." Another triumph, the Fox Leadership
Program, gives undergraduate students vital leadership
experiences, backed up by coursework, to equip them as
tomorrow's leaders. Undergraduate applications to the College
increased 15% during Dr. Preston's tenure, to more than
12,000.
A
search committee will be formed shortly to search for
Dr. Preston's
replacement.