University narrows search for Trinity dean

Almost a year after the departure of George McLendon, former dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences and dean of Trinity College, the University has selected three finalists in the search for his permanent successor.

The Arts and Sciences search committee will announce the new dean within the next weeks, said Provost Peter Lange in a Feb. 7 interview.

“The University seeks for its next Dean an intellectual leader who has a strong reputation for published research..., an ability to articulate and implement a strategic plan... and a track record of working collaboratively with faculty colleagues across the university,” reads the posting for the position on the Arts and Sciences website.

The new dean will permanently replace McLendon, who departed last April to serve as provost of Rice University. As the head of academic and administrative affairs for Arts and Sciences, the dean oversees the 34 academic departments and more than 600 professors within Arts and Sciences. The dean is also the top authority on Trinity’s budget, and is responsible for making long-term cuts and developing revenue-generating programs.

As part of changes to the structure of the Office of Undergraduate Education announced in October, the University will retire the title of “Dean of Trinity College,” at the end of the academic year—meaning the new dean will only be known as the dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences. In shifting responsibilities, Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, will assume an enhanced role in developing the undergraduate experience across schools, according to a memo sent to deans and senior leaders Oct. 8.

Lange said the new dean must demonstrate a wide variety of skills, notably a “grasp of major issues in higher education likely to affect Duke’s undergraduate education.”

The search committee—composed of 15 diverse faculty members, students and administrators—began its efforts over the summer and interviewed candidates from a wide variety of institutions, Lange said. Committee Chair Lynn Smith-Lovin, Robert L. Wilson professor of sociology, is currently in Tanzania and could not be reached for comment last week. Committee members declined to discuss the specifics of the search, citing the confidentiality of the matter.

In the transition period, Alvin Crumbliss, Bishop-MacDermott chemistry professor, has served as interim dean. Crumbliss, who taught chemistry at Duke for 40 years, plans to spend a sabbatical in Genoa, a coastal city in northern Italy renowned for its rich history and cuisine.