Arts and Sciences | First dean candidate visits SU

By: Caitlin Dewey

Posted: 4/29/08

In February, dozens of students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts rallied against Vice Chancellor Eric Spina's announcement that the college would not conduct a nationwide search for its new dean. In The College of Arts and Sciences, interest in the dean search is decidedly less pronounced.

Donald Hall, a candidate to replace outgoing Dean Cathryn Newton, was in Schine Student Center Monday for a meet-and-greet with Arts and Sciences students. Only three showed up.

"I was really surprised," said Andrea Wangsanata, a freshman international relations major. "I wish there were more students there, but there's a lot of apathy on campus. A lot of students aren't concerned about the new hires. They don't understand the impact that these people will have."

Despite the small crowd, Hall answered student questions for the full one-hour period, focusing on issues like diversity, service-based learning, advising, administration accessibility and the proposed Transnational Asian Studies Program (TASP). Hall's first priority appeared to be his commitment to students, which he discussed at length during the session.

"I have a deep commitment to student-centeredness, and I've partnered with students in the past," he said. "The changes I would make (to The College of Arts and Sciences) are all things that would be done in response to student concerns."

Hall is currently the chair of the English Department at West Virginia University, a post he's held since 2007. Previously, he was the foreign languages department chair at WVU and the English department chair at the California State University at Northridge.

In 1995, Hall founded Northridge's Institute for Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Studies, where he served as director for nine years. He holds degrees in English, German, comparative literature and political science.

Wangsanata and Jonathan Chan, sophomore marketing major, had an opportunity to voice their concerns during the meeting. Wangsanata and Chan were both representing the TASP Committee, which is lobbying for the creation of an Asian/Asian-American studies program on campus.

"You have my full support," Hall said in response to their questions. "I came from a place where there was an Asian studies department - not just an interdisciplinary program, but a department. A university should be responsive to large groups of students who are able to articulate a need."

Hall also spoke at length about his interpretation of Scholarship in Action, which he calls "a clear vision of how we as a campus are making the world a better place." He expressed interest in the revival of service-based learning, which would create three or six-credit courses that emphasize volunteering and community service within a particular field of study.

"We should create a culture in which faculty and students care deeply about the society they're going to work in," Hall said. "Students should have the opportunity to get academic credit for (volunteering). It's an important part of what a university can do, to teach students that they are part of a solution."

Hall also said he would like to make study abroad programs more affordable for students, and he would use Arts and Sciences' discretionary funding for student organizations with a clear purpose and a sense of excitement.

Chan and Wangsanata said they were impressed with Hall's remarks.

"He seemed pretty excited, and he was able to answer all of our questions" Chan said. "My only concern is that he didn't address anything science-related, and that would be in his department. There were no questions about science, though, so I can't really judge."

"I really liked him," Wangsanata said. "I thought he was really genuine. He has good energy and I liked his attitude - that's something the university needs."

Hall is the first of four candidates who will be visiting campus over the next two weeks to meet with students and faculty. The next meet-and-greet luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Schine Student Center, Room 304C.

Jason Larson, the graduate student representative to the Dean Search Committee, said this is the third round of a search process that began last November. Though the committee has no set date for dean selection, Larson said they hope to have a new dean chosen by graduation.

cedewey@syr.edu