Author: Chloe Jenkins-Sleczkowski
Last Thursday, Feb. 25, President Veitch appointed Dr. Jorge Gonzalez as the new Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs. This selection is the culmination of a several month-long process to find a replacement for the interim dean, Eric Frank.
“I have heard great things about Oxy for many years,” Gonzalez said in an e-mail interview. “Oxy’s commitment to academic excellence in the context of cultural diversity, global citizenship, interdisciplinary work and civic engagement makes it a very attractive place for me since it matches my own values perfectly.”As the new dean of the college starting in the 2010-2011 school year, Gonzalez will oversee the faculty and the college’s entire academic program. In addition to being the “second in command” after the president, he will also act as chief academic officer, and will be responsible for managing and advancing Occidental’s academic mission, said English and Comparative Literature Studies (ECLS) Professor Raul Villa, who headed the search committee for the position.
Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid Vincent Cuseo, who was involved in the candidate interview process, described the new dean as a key component to the college’s overall image. “He will be the academic face of the college at events on and off campus, be they for prospective students, alumni and other interested parties,” he said.
Cuseo also emphasized that the dean must be aware of all facets of the campus. “As the academic VP, he needs to understand the delicate balancing act of faculty at a prestigious liberal arts college – their commitment, certainly, to teaching, but also to scholarship and to the college community,” said Cuseo.
Gonzalez’s hiring, paired with Cuseo’s ascension to vice president and Veitch’s recent appointment as the college’s 15th president, has significantly transformed Oxy’s senior administration.
According to Villa, having a long-term dean in place will be a substantial boon for both the college and the president. “[Having Gonzalez as dean] will free up President Veitch to focus more on his external role as spokesperson and fund raiser for the College,” Villa said.
Last May, the faculty council and President Veitch met to appoint a dean search committee to begin the process of dean recruitment. The resulting search committee was tasked with finding, interviewing and recommending a candidate to President Veitch’s office and the Board of Trustees under the leadership of ECLS Professor Raul Villa.
This committee advertised the job opening to institutions across the country and drew in a large pool of applicants for review, Villa said. The committee went through several rounds of off-campus interviewing to narrow the applicant pool number down to 60, then to 30 and finally to 15.
After phone reference checks were conducted, the committee selected eight semifinalists who were interviewed in person. The four resulting finalists were brought to campus in early February. In addition to Gonzalez, these candidates were Muriel Postin from Skidmore College, Michael Zimmerman from Butler University and Nicola Pitchford from Fordham University. The committee submitted its report to President Veitch, who made the final selection and negotiated the terms of agreement with Gonzalez.
“The search process was thorough, inclusive and fair,” said Cuseo. “The search committee did an exceptional job of ferreting out an able and diverse set of candidates.”
The main concern of the search committee and of Veitch was selecting the candidate best-equipped to handle the dean’s fundraising duties. “Next to the president, the dean of the college is the person who speaks with the greatest credibility to potential donors,” Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations Dennis Collins said.
Additionally, the search committees sought out an individual with experience within small college environments. Gonzalez previously worked at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, which is a college similar to Occidental.
“I love small liberal arts schools. I have decided to spend all my career in this type of school,” Gonzalez said. “I am convinced that we provide the best possible education for students.”
With such experience in tow, faculty are optimistic about Gonzalez’s future at Oxy. Villa said that Gonzalez’s background in a liberal arts environment made him ideal for the job. “Among [Gonzalez’s qualities] was a clear and demonstrated commitment to and understanding of the liberal arts, strong administrative and management skills and a dynamic leadership personality,” he said.
Economics Professor Woody Studenmund, who was on the committee charged with filling the dean position, agreed, stating, “Dean Gonzalez has a true passion for the liberal arts, and he’s particularly enthusiastic about the college’s mission.”Current administrators also believe that Gonzalez will make a positive impact by filling the substantial role. “He is deeply committed to Oxy’s mission and will bring vitality and fresh perspectives to his role,” said Cuseo.
Gonzalez’s predecessor Eric Frank was appointed dean in 2008 with an understanding that he would serve until the summer of 2010. The college planned that, by this point, it would have a new president and the search for the new dean would be completed. Frank, by trade an art history professor, did not wish to be a candidate in the selection of the new dean after his five years in the position.”I am taking a sabbatical for the 2010-11 academic year and will consider my options during that year, which includes the possibility of returning to the faculty full-time,” Frank said in an e-mail statement.
After the rigorous selection process, Veitch seems confident that Gonzalez will prove to be an asset to the college. In his e-mail announcement to the campus, Veitch described Gonzalez as “a person of genuine warmth, thoughtfulness, intelligence and judgment.”
Cuseo characterized Gonzalez as a man who will not have a hard time settling into day-to-day life at Oxy. “He’s very engaging and open,” Cuseo said. “I found him to be immensely likable and brimming with energy.”Gonzalez said he is enthusiastic about the upcoming academic year. “I am excited about everything Oxy has to offer: superb faculty members, great students, strong administration, nice facilities and amazing location. I can’t wait to get there.”
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