President Simpson isn't the only UB administrator who will be replaced in the near future.
At the end of this semester, the current dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Bruce McCombe, will step down from his position.
The College of Arts and Science (CAS) has already begun the process of searching for a new dean within the current faculty at UB. The process is conducted by the CAS Dean Search Committee. The committee consists of a variety of professors and faculty members and is chaired by Harvey Stenger, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
The dean is required to supervise the associate deans, department chairs, and staff members, and report directly to the provost. The dean's responsibilities range from ensuring curriculum quality to planning out the policies and procedures of the department that they supervise.
"This is a key position not only for [the College of Arts and Sciences], but for UB at large," said David Castillo, a member of the search committee and chair and professor of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. "The job of dean has become particularly ominous in the last couple of years due to the massive budget cuts that have been handed down from Albany."
Despite the increased pressure to scale back spending and economize the school budget from New York State, Castillo remains positive about the future of the CAS.
"I believe that the colleagues working in the dean's office are doing all they can to protect the core academic mission of the college in very difficult times," Castillo said.
McCombe remains equally optimistic about the future and growth of the CAS in the upcoming years, as school administration continues its UB 2020 goals.
"In the next years, CAS will once again be on an upward trajectory with several signature departments, a more efficient and effective structure, and even higher-quality faculty and students," McCombe said. "The goals of ‘right sizing' our departments and a total ladder faculty size exceeding 500 will still be within reach."
Nominations and applications for the position were due by Feb. 1, and open meetings to answer questions about the search were held during the month of January. After the CAS Dean Search Committee selects finalists, it will meet with both CAS faculty and students in a formal one-day interview process. Following these interviews, recommendations will be made to Provost Satish Tripathi, who will then select the new dean toward the end of the semester.
As the search for the new dean of the CAS progresses, McCombe will be remembered for his contributions toward the growth of the CAS. When discussing his legacy, McCombe stated that he was proud of "establishing a culture of integrity, cooperation, and mutual trust and respect."
McCombe will be completing his fifth year as dean this June, after which he will resume his position as a distinguished professor of physics. Additionally, McCombe plans to leave on sabbatical to Europe during the Fall 2011 semester.
"I'll be focusing on research, primarily on spin effects in semiconductor nanostructures," McCombe said. "I will be spending several periods of two to four weeks each in Germany and Austria. [I will] mostly be in Berlin working on a Materials World Network collaboration supported by the NSF [National Science Foundation], my work at UB, and the Deutsche Forschungs Gemeinshaft, my counterpart's work at the Humboldt University."
McCombe remains content about his time as dean, offering his successor a piece of advice.
"With the caveat that advice is most often worth what you pay for it, my advice to the next dean is to be straightforward and sensible. Listen, and keep your sense of humor. If you don't have one, get one," McCombe said.
For more information on the search, visit http://www.buffalo.edu/cas-search/.
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
