Assistant Dean of First-Year Students Stephanie Hull has accepted a position as assistant to the president at Mount Holyoke and secretary of the college, Dartmouth's Dean of First-Year Students Peter Goldsmith announced yesterday.
English Professor Julie Kalish '91 will take over as acting assistant dean of first-year students and will assume a portion of Dean Hull's responsibilities, Goldsmith said.
Hull's departure was revealed in an open letter by Goldsmith, offering "heartfelt congratulations" but also expressing "great regret" at the prospect of her leaving.
"It's been a tremendous pleasure for me to work with Stephanie Hull," Goldsmith told The Dartmouth. "She has been an outstanding director of the Integrated Academic Support Program and an extraordinarily thoughtful counselor to students."
Hull will split her time between Dartmouth and Mount Holyoke from Nov. 2 until Jan. 1, 1999. Starting then, Hull will be working full time in her new capacity.
Hull said she took the job because she wanted to expand her career experience.
According to Hull, her new position gives her two significant responsibilities: supporting the president and acting as a liaison to the board of trustees.
"I will have responsibility for something other than student services," Hull said. "I wanted to try a different angle on college."
Hull said she looks forward to working "to support women's education." In addition to her administrative duties, Hull will be adjunct to the faculty in the French department.
"Stephanie Hull has the makings of an absolutely first-class administrator, whose career we will all watch with great interest," Goldsmith said.
Hull said although she will miss teaching Dartmouth students and participating in lodge crew at Mount Moosilauke during freshman Outing Club trips, the Holyoke job was too good to pass up.
"I've been very happy at Dartmouth," Hull said. "It would be fun to return in a different capacity."
Hull graduated from Wellesley College with a B.A. and earned her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University. She had taught at Harvard as a graduate student and at Wellesley before coming to Dartmouth in 1992 as an Assistant Professor of French and Italian.
Goldsmith selected Hull's temporary replacement, Kalish. Kalish earned Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors at Dartmouth, and has been teaching at the College since 1993, Goldsmith said.
According to Goldsmith, he will begin a nationwide search for a permanent replacement for Hull starting early this winter.
Goldsmith said the new search will be much like the one he conducted three years ago to fill the same position. "Last time we looked at candidates from all over the country," he said.
Goldsmith said he chose Hull from a number of candidates because of her "experience in the position and her excellent credentials." Previously, Hull had been acting dean of first-year students at the College.
Goldsmith said the important characteristics for a new dean are an understanding of the challenges facing both teachers and students. He stressed, however, that these were not prerequisites for the job.
When asked whether Kalish will be considered for the position on a permanent basis, Goldsmith deferred to the acting dean.
Kalish could not be reached for comment.
In his letter, Goldsmith wrote the College is planning an occasion to honor Hull.
