The behavioral and social sciences college will come under new leadership at the end of the month, as administrators today named geography department Chairman John Townshend the college's next dean.
Townshend takes the reins of the historically overpopulated and underfunded college after former Dean Edward Montgomery left the university in April to head the Obama administration's auto recovery effort.
In a press release, Townshend said the university's long-term fortunes would be tied to BSOS's success and laid out eight goals to improve the university's largest college.
Three of the goals - increased state funding, a focus on outside fundraising and smaller class sizes - directly address student concerns raised in a protest last spring. Townshend also stressed the importance of faculty diversity, cross-disciplinary cooperation and intra-college cohesion.
He also called on the college to build new partnerships with the government and business communities.
University President Dan Mote expressed faith in Townshend's vision.
"We are confident that, under John's dynamic, entrepreneurial leadership, the college will achieve even higher levels of academic and research excellence and help propel the university on its rapid path to becoming one of the very best universities in the world," Mote said in a news release.
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