The University has named Guillermo Ferreyra the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective Jan. 1.
Ferreyra replaces former dean M. Jane Collins, who stepped down in December to return to teaching. He most recently has served as chairman of the mathematics department.
“It is an honor to serve the University during this crucial time in the capacity of interim chair of Arts and Sciences,” Ferreyra said. “The college includes a large faculty of distinguished scholars, researchers and teachers and an outstanding body of students.”
Ferreyra will serve in the position while the University conducts a nationwide search for a permanent dean.
Malcolm Richardson, English department chairman, said Ferreyra is energetic, optimistic and concerned with undergraduate education, and he expects Ferreyra to be a hands-on dean.
Richardson also said Ferreyra brings experience in dealing with a large department and managing a diverse group of faculty and students.
“English and math have many of the same historic problems with enrollments and funding, so it will be good to have a dean who comes to the job with knowledge of the problems of departments with huge undergraduate enrollments,” Richardson said.
Richardson said he also hopes Ferreyra can bring financial stability to the college and raise its funding level.
Ferreyra said the math and English departments currently are actively recruiting new professors, and that other departments in the college also have initiated searches to fill professor positions.
“The interim dean office will oversee and help departments to make outstanding hires,” Ferreyra said.
Ferreyra said the dean’s office also will be responsible for realizing savings wherever possible and investing resources to achieve the University’s Flagship Agenda.
Last fall, the college announced it would remove a total of 60 instructors during the next three years and hire more professors for classroom instruction.
In addition, Ferreyra said William Demastes, former associate dean for the college, has stepped down and taken a position in the English department.
Ferreyra said an associate dean has not yet been named.