Searches begin for deans of Law School and L&S

Two searches are underway, with search-and-screen committees appointed, to find new deans of the Law School and the College of Letters & Science.

In October, University of Wisconsin Law School Dean Margaret Raymond announced that she would step aside from the post she’s held since 2011 and return to the faculty.

The dean leads the advancement of the school through its legal education programs and research initiatives, and by building strong internal and external communities to support the school’s continued success and growth. Serving as the chief academic and executive officer of the school, the dean is responsible for faculty and staff development, personnel oversight, fundraising, budget planning and management, curriculum and student academic affairs.

The school, with a budget of $30 million, comprises approximately 30 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 30 clinical professors, 70 instructional, professional and support staff, and 650 Juris Doctor, 54 master’s and seven Doctor of Juridical Science students.

The search committee is being chaired by Heinz Klug, Evjue-Bascom Professor of Law. Other committee members include: Michelle Behnke, community member and external practicing attorney; Roman Gierok, student; Erica Halverson, professor of curriculum and instruction; Alexandra Huneeus, professor of law; Richard Monette, professor of law; Yaron Nili, assistant professor of law; Kim Peterson, lecturer; Howard Schweber, professor of political science and Law School affiliated faculty; Mitra Sharafi, professor of law; Susannah Tahk, associate dean for research and faculty development at the Law School; Janice Toliver, executive assistant at the Law School; Kathryn VandenBosch dean of College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; Steven Wright, clinical associate professor; and Jason Yackee, professor of law.

“The search committee is seeking a new Law School dean with vision and experience to continue the school’s positive trajectory building on Dean Raymond’s successful leadership over the last decade,” Klug says.

A full position description is here. Nominations, inquiries and submissions can be made here through the search firm of Isaacson Miller.

Leslie M. Smith, professor of math and engineering physics, is chairing the search-and-screen committee for dean of the College of Letters & Science. The successful candidate will replace Karl Scholz, who became provost in August.

The dean serves as the chief academic and executive officer of the college, with responsibility for its instructional, research and outreach environment including oversight of its $356 million budget, faculty recruitment and retention, advancement and external relations, student academic affairs, and climate in the college.

L&S is the university’s largest academic unit, serving 15,731 undergraduate and 4,135 graduate students in 37 academic departments and five professional schools who comprise approximately half of the university’s enrollment. L&S has 816 faculty members, 1,105 professional staff, 291 university staff and 979 full-time equivalent graduate assistants. L&S recently created a new division that encompasses computer, data and information sciences, and operates the career services program SuccessWorks, which provides students with career and internship opportunities as well as support for their personal and professional development. The college’s faculty, staff and students also participate in more than 70 interdisciplinary research centers, institutes and programs.

Joining Smith on the committee are Barbara Arnold, community member; Rachel Berry, program and operations manager for the Center for Academic Excellence; Paul Campagnola, professor of engineering; Chris Dade, graduate student; Katrina Forest, professor of bacteriology; Diane Gooding, professor of psychology; Marty Gustafson, assistant dean for academic affairs at the Division of Continuing Studies; Miranda Hofmann, Department of French and Italian administrator; Albrecht Karle, professor of physics; Brendon Panke, university services associate, Center for Healthy Minds; Andrew Pietroske, undergraduate student; Anne Pringle, professor of botany; Ian Robertson, dean of the College of Engineering; Ananth Seshadri, professor of economics; Cherene Sherrard-Johnson, professor of English; and Jim Sweet, professor of history.

“I look forward to working with a distinguished group of colleagues to recruit the future dean of L&S,” Smith says. “The position is critical for the success of UW–Madison in all of its research, teaching and outreach missions, and the committee is focused on recruiting an excellent and diverse pool of candidates.”

A position description can be found here. Applications and nominations can be sent through the search firm Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates to UWMadisonDeanLS@storbecksearch.com.