Christopher Dennis, associate vice provost at Temple University, will be the new deputy dean of the College, Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron announced in a community-wide email June 14.
Dennis’ selection marks the end of a semester-long search that began in February after Stephen Lassonde announced he would vacate the position starting in March, said Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn, who chaired the search committee. Kathleen McSharry, associate dean of the College for writing and curriculum, served as interim deputy dean this spring during the search process.
Dennis, who assumed his role in July, was the committee’s first choice, Klawunn said.
His selection was unanimous, Bergeron said.
As deputy dean of the College, Dennis will oversee advising programs and work with students on a daily basis, Bergeron said. He will also help implement initiatives resulting from the University’s strategic planning process, she added.
Dennis has worked at Temple since 1999 and previously served as an assistant professor of English and faculty fellow in residence at Penn, where he helped design the school’s College House system, Bergeron wrote in the campus-wide email.
“When the opportunity came to think about going to Brown and knowing that Brown has one of the most innovative undergraduate programs in the country, it was a no-brainer for me,” Dennis told The Herald. “There’s a real opportunity here to help shape priorities and look at the future of Brown’s education.”
Dennis cited the expansion and enrichment of academic disciplines in the fast-paced world of modern universities as a top challenge for his new post. He also stressed the importance of integrating study abroad and internship experiences into students’ liberal learning, a task he called “a real problem of higher education.”
Search committee members looked for a candidate “with strong experiences teaching and advising” who would appreciate “the uniqueness of the Brown curriculum,” Klawunn said.
Dennis said his work with Temple’s two international campuses in Rome and Tokyo will help him promote international experiences at Brown. He added that he plans on closely examining programs for graduate students to keep pace with future developments in graduate education.
Last updated Sept. 3, 12:39 a.m.
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