College dean will step down in December

Outgoing College Dean Robert Rescorla will return to teaching in the spring, even if his successor has not yet been named. College of Arts and Sciences Dean Robert Rescorla announced last Wednesday that he will step down from his post December 31 regardless of whether permanent deans for either the School of Arts of Sciences or the College have been secured. Both Rescorla and interim SAS Dean Walter Wales agreed last June to remain in their administrative positions until President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow found permanent replacement deans. But at that time both deans were confident a new SAS dean would be named in a matter of months. The search has since been extended indefinitely. According to Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs Kent Peterman, "The search committee has done its job and has turned over the names to [University] President [Judith] Rodin and Provost [Stanley] Chodorow." But Rodin has stressed the importance of making a well-informed decision. "We're going at a pace that allows us to make important decisions correctly," she said in August. Wales, who hails from the Physics Department, has yet to release a statement on whether he would resign from his post if the search continues past December. He has indicated, however, that he would like to return to research and teaching. Rescorla's announcement did not come as a shock to Wales, who understood his colleague's similar desire to return to full-time research and teaching in the University's Psychology Department next semester. Rescorla originally pledged to assume the position of College dean for a three-year tenure ending last July. But for the sake of "continuity," he decided to remain in office until the naming of a permanent SAS dean, who would then appoint his replacement. Due to a number of delays on both the committee and administrative levels, however, Rescorla alerted Wales in August to the possibility of his departure before the appointment of a new SAS dean. Although he previously planned to leave the College dean selection to his successor, in the wake of Rescorla's announcement, Wales said he will soon appoint a search committee to advise him on the decision. He admitted Rescorla will be difficult to replace. "I know of no one at the University with a deeper commitment to undergraduate education," he said. "Dean Rescorla has been an inspiration to all who care deeply about the intellectual experience of our students here." Wales added that he hopes to name a new associate dean by late fall. During his reign, Rescorla improved the student advising system, increased the number of undergraduate research opportunities, established several interschool minors and played a major role in the 21st Century Project, the University's initiative on undergraduate education. In addition, he achieved new levels of cooperation among undergraduate schools and improved communication among faculty, students and parents, Wales said. "Rescorla considered ways in which students fall through cracks in the system," Peterman added. "He introduced solutions to plug these cracks." But Rescorla, a leading experimental scientist, said he is excited to return to his Psychology students next semester and resume his research on elementary learning theory. While admitting that he enjoyed "his brief turn at administration," Rescorla said, "I believe it is very important that universities be run by faculty members, not career administrators. Fundamentally, changes come from the faculty and from students."