The search for a permanent dean for upperclass students has thus far been unsuccessful, Senior Associate Dean of the College Dan Nelson '75 announced Tuesday. The search committee charged with finding a new dean interviewed six candidates for the job, but did not extend any offers.
Mary Liscinsky, formerly assistant dean of the College, has been serving as interim dean for upperclass students in the absence of former Dean Sylvia Langford, who left for a position at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where her husband George Langford became dean of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics last year.
The process for filling a top administrative position like dean for upperclass students usually takes several months, Nelson said, citing the various media through which the College advertises such an opening, including contacting administrators at other institutions and placing advertisements in publications and on websites.
"It's really important to do a lot of networking so you can try to create a deep, talented, diverse applicant pool," Nelson said.
The upperclass deans office provides general advising, both personal and academic, for sophomores, juniors and seniors. The dean for upperclass students oversees the upperclass deans office and "leads and contributes to the development, implementation and evaluation of all non-academic policies and programs designed to enhance the overall education of upperclass students," according to the College's advertisement.
The advertisement for the position also stresses leadership skills and creativity, along with several others.
"We're looking for a combination of experience, insight and ability to be a leader on campus," Nelson said. None of the six candidates who have already been interviewed fit the bill exactly, and Nelson stressed that "it's really important to me to find just the absolute best person for this position."
The candidates came from a variety of academic institutions, Nelson said, some about the same size as Dartmouth and some larger.
"They were all from liberal arts institutions that have a very strong academic component and a strong residential component," he said. Nelson added that the search committee will likely explore some new strategies in recruiting candidates for the position and he is confident that the next round of the process will turn up other qualified applicants.
Though the news of the failure to fill the dean for upperclass students position came around the same time that Dean of the College James Larimore announced his resignation effective this August, Nelson said that the two are unconnected.
"That's an entirely different process and will involve different people," Nelson said.
