Dear colleagues,

As the winter term concludes, I want to share three important steps toward establishing a unified Arts and Sciences leadership team and alert you to the opportunity to participate in an “Inside Dartmouth’s Budget” course.

First, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Maria AndersonOpens in a new window as Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for A&S. Maria has served with distinction in a similar role for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences since she came to Dartmouth in 2023. In her new role, Maria will serve as a senior member of the dean’s team, overseeing finances and administration across the school while stewarding our resources and helping to shape an organization that best supports the work of our faculty, staff, and students. As Maria steps into her new role, we are working closely with Dean Elizabeth F. Smith and others to ensure that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences office continues to be appropriately supported. 

We are also preparing to launch a national search for a Dean of Undergraduate Student Affairs. This position will play a critical role in enhancing our student experience inside and outside of the classroom. It was not our original plan to fill this position with a permanent leader at this time, as opposed to an interim. However, community conversations held in the process of launching implementation and the feedback that I received through further consultations convinced me that this is the best way forward. I will be in touch via future messages with opportunities to provide input into that search process. In the meantime, I want to offer my deep gratitude to Anne Hudak and Eric Ramsey, who continue to provide dedicated and steady leadership to the Division of Student Affairs during this transition while also serving in their own permanent roles.

Third, we are making great progress in our search for an Interim Dean of Undergraduate Education. Thank you to everyone who has nominated colleagues and/or expressed personal interest in the roleOpens in a new window. We will launch a committee soon to spearhead the selection process. We are aiming to name the Interim Dean by May so that we are well-positioned to begin the development of the new Division of Undergraduate Education unit throughout the summer.

Finally, in response to suggestions from faculty and staff, we are offering the Inside Dartmouth’s Budget course starting April 10. It is obvious that there are going to be important questions about Dartmouth’s budget over the coming months. I hope you consider taking this course, as it will include discussion of the new A&S budget model and advancement efforts and facilitate widespread engagement in these discussions. Register here.

I hope reading about tangible progress toward a unified Arts and Sciences is a source of reassurance for you, as it is for me. Please join me in congratulating Maria and thanking Anne and Eric for their ongoing service. I am also grateful to all of you for your commitment to this work, and I look forward to our continued collaboration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to meet or offer feedback online.

All the best,
Nina Pavcnik
Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences