By Katie Plona
Daily Staff Reporter
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| JEANNIE SERVAAS/Daily History and Afroamerican and African Studies Prof. Earl Lewis was recently named the interim dean of the Rackham School of Graduate Studies. |
"I am delighted that someone of Earl Lewis's caliber can step in to fill the important role of dean of Rackham," President Lee Bollinger said in a statement. "He is a highly regarded scholar who will provide strong leadership during this important period.
"I have the greatest admiration for him both personally and professionally," Bollinger said.
As interim Rackham dean, Lewis said he plans to build on the ideas and initiatives organized under Cantor's term.
"What I will do is augment and further the ideas we worked on last year," Lewis said, adding that he and Cantor developed Rackham's goals together. "Nancy Cantor and I worked very closely together last year."
Among his many aims, Lewis said he would like to make Rackham a more visible component of the University and create programs that allow graduate students to combine more than one discipline for their concentrations.
"We need to figure out a way for students to take risks - but intelligent risks," Lewis said.
Associate Rackham Dean Homer Rose said he is pleased with Bollinger's decision to appoint Lewis as interim dean.
"He's a splendid scholar and a splendid leader," Rose said. "I'm pleased for him and the graduate school."
Rose said that although each individual brings their own unique perspectives to a position, Cantor and Lewis agree on the overall direction of the graduate school. Therefore a "great deal of continuity" can be expected.
In addition to a sense of continuation at Rackham, Rose said a solid working relationship can be anticipated between Cantor's future office and Lewis' new Rackham office.
"It's guaranteed that we'll have a cordial and cooperative relationship between Rackham and the provost's office," Rose said.
Associate Rackham Dean Steven Kunkel said Cantor and Lewis share the same principal visions for the graduate school and its relationship with other graduate programs on campus.
"They have very similar philosophies how the graduate school should be run," Kunkel said. "I think the transition will be very smooth to the interim dean."
Lewis said that an official search committee has not yet been formed to select a permanent Rackham dean, but he foresees the search beginning in the fall.
Rose said predicting whether Lewis, also an Afroamerican and African studies and history professor, will be Cantor's permanent replacement is hard to say, but he hopes Lewis will be appointed to the position.
Kunkel said Lewis would be "number one on my list."
"Clearly, he is extremely well qualified to be the next dean of the graduate school," Kunkel said. "He's been here for a year now too, so his feet are firmly planted. We'll miss Nancy, but I think Dean Lewis will do a great job," Kunkel said.
Lewis said that although the transition process has already began, he will not officially become Cantor's successor until Sept. 1.
"I will serve as long as I'm needed to serve," Lewis said.
09-03-97
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