History

The School of the Arts and Sciences launched on July 1, 2025, after more than two years of development, refinement, and endorsement by Arts and Sciences Faculty, governance committees, and staff representatives. The creation of the school was approved by Trustees in November 2024. Implementation was led by Dean Nina Pavcnik, Niehaus Family Professor in International Studies and Professor of Economics, together with the Implementation Committee and the A&S leadership team assembled through the first half of 2025. 

The development of this new structure was fueled by hundreds of engagements with faculty and staff leaders and experts, in the Arts and Sciences and across Dartmouth’s schools and central administration – from one-on-one conversations to community-wide meetings. It benefited from thorough benchmarking of peer institutions at the highest levels of academia. But more than that, it sought to be authentic to Dartmouth’s history and identity, upholding the quintessential Dartmouth experience and maximizing the strengths that have already made Dartmouth a global leader. 

Important features of the school’s design include: a dean focused solely on the Arts and Sciences and supported by a strongly coordinated cabinet of A&S-specific senior leaders; dedicated support from Advancement, Admissions and Communications; and increased agency and transparency around budgeting.  

Collectively, these features position the school to:  

• Advocate more effectively for the Arts and Sciences mission and community; 
• Integrate curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular student experiences;  
• Better support the research and creative endeavors of our faculty; and  
• Foster deeper collaboration across the institution, enhancing collaboration with Dartmouth’s graduate and professional schools.