Elissa Newport, George Eastman Professor and chair of brain and cognitive sciences, will chair the search committee for the vice provost and dean of the faculty of arts, sciences, and engineering at the University of Rochester to succeed Thomas J. LeBlanc, who leaves to become executive vice president and provost at the University of Miami July 1. (More information about the search process is available online at www.rochester.edu/provost/deansearch.html.)
Joanna B. Olmsted, professor of biology and currently dean of faculty development in the College, will serve as interim vice provost and dean of the College faculty until a permanent successor is appointed.
Provost Charles E. Phelps said that the other search committee members are Loisa Bennetto, assistant professor of psychology, Robert K. Boeckman, Jr., Marshall D. Gates Jr. Professor and chair of chemistry, Gerald Gamm, associate professor of political science and history and chair of political science, Wendi Heinzelman, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, Emil Homerin, professor of religion, Wayne Knox, professor of optics and director of the Institute of Optics, Henry Kyburg, Jr., Gideon W. Burbank Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, Jeffrey Runner, associate professor of linguistics, Paul L. Tipton, professor of physics, Jeffrey Tucker, associate professor of English, and Richard Waugh, professor and chair of biomedical engineering.
“I’m very pleased with the committee membership,” Phelps said. “This is a dedicated and very thoughtful group of individuals.” A search firm will be selected to assist the committee in its work, he said.
“Let me thank Chuck, Elissa, and the members of the search committee who will be taking on a very important search,” said President-elect Joel Seligman. “We seek the best dean we can find, whether inside or outside the University, to continue the progress of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering.”
The Provost’s Office will post a Web page on the office’s site (www.rochester.edu/provost) providing information on the search and an e-mail address for those wishing to make comments or offer nominations.