New College dean ghas lofty goals

The College of Arts and Sciences has adopted a new look. And College Dean Robert Rescorla is leading the transformation. Rescorla, previously a professor and chairperson of the University's Psychology Department, was appointed in late June to fill the spot left vacant by Matthew Santirocco. Santirocco left the University in June to fill a deanship at New York University. "I wanted to make the appointment as strong as possible as we move into the next period of undergraduate education, and Bob Rescorla is just the best," said Rosemary Stevens, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Rescorla completed his undergraduate education at Swarthmore College and his graduate work at the University. He previously served as the undergraduate chair of the Psychology Department at Yale University, and focused his efforts on a successful faculty-in-residence program there. During his current term as dean, Rescorla said he is committed to improving undergraduate education. "I've always been interested in undergraduate education," he said. "And this is the time where there's going to be a lot of focus on our undergraduates." Rescorla added that he feels several key issues need to be addressed which have, in the past, been underemphasized. "I certainly think one of the things we need to do is get students involved in research," Rescorla said, adding that he hopes to eventually make research experience a requirement for every student in the College. "I am hoping this year on getting research much more available to every student." Additionally, he hopes to improve advising within the individual departments, possibly by requiring continual advising sessions even after the declaration of a student's major. Rescorla, though admittedly reluctant to initiate new programs within the first year of his term, is also looking for growth and transition in the College's study abroad program. "We're trying to broaden the number of places that students can visit," he said. "The program is having growing pains now. We're trying to provide a smooth transition." In addition, Rescorla hopes to improve College students' command of quantitative thinking. "When I have taught in psychology, I've been appalled at the lack of sophistication of quantitative analysis of data," he said. "I'd like these students to be able to open the science page of The New York Times and know what the hell it's talking about." Rescorla is hoping the Committee on Undergraduate Education will look into this and other options. While Rescorla plans to continue his research in the fall and resume teaching his undergraduate lecture course this spring, he will not continue to teach graduate classes this year. "There's a sort of tradition of people going into administration and never coming back out," he said. "I thought it was up to me to put up or shut up."