Biology professor Elizabeth Smith has been reappointed as dean of the faculty of arts and sciences for a second five-year term, the College announced in a press release on Tuesday.
Before beginning her first term as dean, Smith was chair of the department of biological sciences for three years and served as associate dean of the sciences for two years, according to the release.
During her first term, Smith helped to spearhead a new sexual misconduct policy, a guide and review process for associate deans and the creation of the Consortium on Race, Migration and Sexuality. She was also involved in fundraising for the renovations of Anonymous Hall, Dartmouth Hall, Reed Hall and Thornton Hall, as well as efforts to increase diversity in the faculty.
Four associate deans, who oversee the College’s four undergraduate academic divisions — arts and humanities, sciences, social sciences and international studies and interdisciplinary programs — report to the dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. Through them, Smith leads 40 academic departments and programs and oversees around 600 faculty members, the release states.
Smith has been at the center of many major college developments during her tenure. In 2017, she chaired a task force that examined the costs and benefits of increasing the College’s student body size — a task force that ultimately highlighted issues in its final report, such as housing and dining hall capacity, that the College needed to address even if it did not expand.
In 2018, Smith also found herself involved in the College’s response to allegations of sexual misconduct in the psychological and brain sciences department. After reviews by an external investigator, Smith recommended to the faculty-elected Review Committee that Todd Heatherton, Bill Kelley and Paul Whalen, three professors accused of sexual misconduct in the scandal, be terminated and their tenure revoked; the committee upheld all three recommendations, and all three professors retired immediately or resigned.
