Sandefur to lead Letters and Science

The next dean of the College of Letters and Science at UW–Madison, the largest college on the campus, is a familiar face to many. Chancellor John D. Wiley announced Aug. 13 that Gary Sandefur, professor and incoming chair of the Department of Sociology, will succeed Phillip R. Certain, who retired in June after a 34-year university career that included 11 years as dean.

The College of Letters and Science enrolls more than half of all UW–Madison students in its 39 departments, five professional schools, and 22 interdisciplinary centers and programs. The college teaches nearly 90 percent of freshman-sophomore credit hours and has more than 170,000 alumni. The college has 2,865 full-time equivalent faculty, staff and graduate assistants. The college’s annual research expenditures exceed $100 million.

Sandefur previously has served in a variety of executive roles for the campus, including director of the American Indian Studies Program; associate vice chancellor, a position in which he served as the senior administrator for admissions, the registrar’s office and student financial services; and interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. He held the latter position during the difficult days immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, and helped the campus community recapture its balance and express its grief through a series of vigils and opportunities for people to talk through emotions.

Sandefur currently serves as co-chair of the faculty and staff component of Create the Future: The Wisconsin Campaign, the most ambitious fund-raising effort in the university’s history. Since 2000, many academic staff, classified staff, faculty and retired faculty have generously provided more than $30 million for needs that might otherwise remain unfunded while fortifying existing programs and resources.

“Professor Sandefur long has been seen as someone all members of our community turn to for advice and support,” says Wiley. “He’s seen as a wise, thoughtful, knowledgeable and accessible resource by students, faculty and staff alike. As we continue our efforts to strengthen the sense of community on this campus, probing further the many factors that influence a positive and welcoming climate, Gary’s reputation and passion for this work will be an enormous asset.”

Sandefur was one of three finalists under consideration for the position. The others included Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, professor of communication arts and deputy dean in the College of Letters and Science at UW–Madison, and Robert Sternberg, a psychology professor, and founder and director of the Yale Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies and Expertise at Yale University.

Wiley expressed satisfaction with the selection process, but noted that it presented a very difficult decision. “We experienced both the luxury and the stress of having three terrific finalists for this position,” he says. “I am confident that each of the three candidates would excel in the role of dean, and most of those I consulted with throughout the selection process thought so as well.

“We were able to take advantage of an opportunity to select a person who could not only ably lead the college, but could – as a result of experience, scholarship and other personal qualities – help the entire campus address some of its broader challenges. I chose Gary because of his long history of positive involvement with some of these challenges, including diversity and climate, undergraduate education, student and staff mentoring, and the rock-solid consistency of his wise, thoughtful counsel on difficult issues. We will continue to have strong leadership, management and diplomacy under Gary.

“The College of Letters and Science represents a vital connecting link to all parts of the university, Wiley notes. “The job of dean of this college is bigger than the sum of its parts. The dean is responsible for a community of students, staff and faculty larger than many universities. The centrality of that responsibility to everything we do here convinced me to select the person who, for this moment in the university’s history, offers the best opportunity to both build on the remarkable legacy of the College of Letters and Science and to advance the mission of the university. Gary Sandefur is that person.”

“I am truly honored to have been selected to lead the College of Letters and Science,” Sandefur says. “I am looking forward to serving the university in this new capacity at a time of both intense challenge and incredible opportunity. Perhaps the most important part of academic leadership is facilitating and supporting the accomplishments of others. A dean must exercise good judgment and work effectively with other academic leaders to recognize good ideas when they come along, prioritize options, and then work hard to help these ideas result in good things for the college and the university. I welcome this chance.”

Sandefur received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Oklahoma in 1974 and a doctorate from Stanford University in 1978. He joined the UW faculty in 1984. In addition to his interim administrative role in 2001, he served as associate vice chancellor for academic affairs from 1992-96.

Sandefur is a leading social demographer whose work combines scholarly excellence and a serious engagement with important and pressing policy issues. He is internationally known for his work on American Indians, race and ethnicity, families, poverty and inequality, and public policy.

In his research, Sandefur has focused on social structure and the family. His publications include the book “Growing Up With a Single Parent: What Hurts? What Helps?” He has co-authored four books, and numerous articles in journals and other publications.

He was the recipient of a Chancellor’s Award for excellence in teaching and a Kellett Mid-Career Award designed to recognize the scholarly accomplishments of established faculty in 2000. He was elected in 2003 as a fellow to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has also served on numerous national advisory boards related to children and family issues.

Sandefur also is part of an interdisciplinary team of Institute for Research on Poverty researchers studying four major aspects of economic inequality: health, education, wealth and resources available to children. The researchers are examining trends in inequality in each of these areas, which together constitute what may be called “family capital,” focusing in particular on the causes and consequences of the changes documented. He also has a grant from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development to study family and child well-being.

As dean, Sandefur’s annual salary will be $195,000.