Dean of the Faculty Edward Berger has announced the appointment of three new associate deans and a new assistant dean for development.
Although the appointments were just made public, the new deans began work on July 1.
Jamshed Bharucha, the John Wentworth Psychology Professor, replaced George Wolford as the associate dean for the social sciences.
Mandel Family Russian Professor Barry Scherr is the new associate dean for the humanities, replacing Mary Jean Green.
Ira Eastman Biology Professor Roger Sloboda replaced Berger as dean of graduate studies.
Former Assistant Director of Development Janis Murcic is the assistant dean for development in the arts and sciences, following the departure of Associate Dean David Lagomarsino.
All of the departing associate deans will be taking one-year sabbaticals.
Berger's term as dean of the faculty also began July 1. He succeeded Acting Provost James Wright.
Berger said as soon as he heard the "good news" about his appointment by College President James Freedman in April, he began to solicit nominations from all faculty members for the positions. He then consulted with Acting Provost James Wright and Freedman to choose the new deans.
Bharucha said he was not seeking nor expecting the appointment as associate dean for the social sciences. "It is going to be a challenge," he said. "I'm looking forward to working with and doing the best for the departments."
Bharucha said he expects to continue doing research during his time as dean. He has been at Dartmouth since 1983 and researches the perception of sound and music.
He has many published works and his research has been supported by the National Science Foundations and other funding agencies. Bharucha is also a member of the board of trustees at Vassar College.
Wolford will remain on campus during his one-year sabbatical and write a book on the difficulties in medical testing, including the controversies of mammography.
After his sabbatical, Wolford will return to the psychology department where he is the Lincoln Filene Professor.
Despite his qualifications, Scherr was surprised by his appointment to associate dean of the humanities.
Scherr said he anticipates addressing requests for new courses and programs to strengthen the humanities at Dartmouth in his term ahead.
He said one of the challenges he will face is becoming acquainted with the strengths and needs of the 14 departments and five programs that comprised the humanities.
Scherr was the chair of the Russian department and the first chair of the Linguistics and Cognitive Science Program. His specialty is Russian poetry and 20th century Russian prose-writing.
"I think he's a wonderful replacement," Green said. She said Scherr is very committed and has already begun to meet with department chairs.
During her sabbatical, Green will be traveling Morocco, Vietnam and Senegal to pursue her interest in Francophone literature before returning to the French department as the Edward Tuck Professor.
Sloboda's 20 years of experience at the College will help him as associate dean of graduate studies.
He came to Dartmouth in 1977 as a molecular and cell biologist and has also taught and done research at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Murcic, who has worked for the past year and a half on The Will to Excel campaign, also brings much experience to her position as associate dean for development.
She has worked as the director of endowment research in the Office of Endowment Administration.
Before coming to Dartmouth in 1992 she was an assistant professor at Vermont Law School, where she directed the Legal Writing Program.
Lagomarsino said he is delighted with the appointment of Murcic as his replacement. "I know the office will be in very good hands," he said.
Lagomarsino served seven years as associate dean.
"I was very privileged to work with Jim Wright," he said about his term. "I was delighted to be so successful in the capital campaign raising money for the faculty of the arts and sciences and for Dartmouth College."
Lagomarsino will return to the history department where he teaches courses on early modern European history. He will be spending his sabbatical in Spain, beginning the fall and stay for "as long as possible," he said.
In addition to the new appointments, John Walsh, a Francis and Mildred Sears Physics Professor, has one year remaining in his term as associate dean for the sciences.
Murcic and Sloboda were unavailable for comment.
