Lewis named Rackham dean

Rackham interim Dean Earl Lewis was selected as the graduate school's permanent dean yesterday, pending approval by the University Board of Regents at its meeting later this month.

"I think it is a really terrific appointment," said Provost Nancy Cantor, who selected Lewis from an unspecified number of finalists recommended by the Rackham dean search committee.

"He has a very good sense of his constituents with the schools across the University," said Cantor, adding that Lewis' current position did not affect her decision.

"There are many people in the University with experience that would be helpful," Cantor said.

If approved by the board, Lewis, who has served as interim dean since last September, would begin his new post March 1.

"Now I'll be in the position, not only to plan, but to introduce inter-disciplinary programs," Lewis said.

Lewis helps to facilitate a graduate summer program that enrolls students in multi-disciplinary studies. The program, which now just has room for 7-8 students, will be expanded to a five-year program as a result of Lewis' appointment.

"What we're trying to work with right now is responding to the overwhelming response," said Lewis, adding that almost 110 students have applied for the small number of spaces. "We're looking at developing new pilot projects that will match our graduates with liberal arts schools in this region."

Lewis said renovations to the Rackham Building will also be considered in the future.

"We are looking at redesigning the building itself to better meet the needs of graduate students," Lewis said. "We're excited about what we have to do ... for part of the next few years we'll figure out how we'll render the services we've historically provided."

A sense of permanence will be a welcome change, said Lewis, who is the fourth Rackham dean in four years.

"I will end up talking to even more people in the future since there is a sense of permanence," Lewis said.

Lewis was chosen as a finalist by the same committee that recommended Cantor to the position of Rackham dean. Cantor was eventually appointed to the position of provost during July of last year.

"I think the advantage was that the committee had worked together for a long time ... and had a vision for what the dean should be like," said psychology and women's studies Prof. Abigail Stewart, who headed the search committee.

Stewart said the committee considered both former and current Rackham faculty before making the decision to appoint Lewis.

"We wanted someone with knowledge and experience of Rackham," Stewart said. "I think the committee was impressed with his leadership of Rackham as interim dean and impressed with his vision for Rackham in the future.

"We had a strong, long record of his accomplishments. That was an advantage. He's a very known quantity," Stewart added.

Stewart said the committee reviewed many of the same candidates as it did during the provost search last year.

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