Pitzer Faculty, Staff and Students:
Please join us in welcoming Allen M. Omoto as our next Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. Allen joins the Pitzer community after a rigorous search process that began with the faculty voting on March 29, 2018, to select the new Dean from candidates internal to the Claremont Colleges.
FEC appointed an ad hoc Search Committee co-chaired by Professors Ming-Yuen S. Ma and Marion Preest, and composed of a diverse selection committee of faculty, staff and students Juanita Aristizabal, Jamie Francis, Barbara Junisbai, Jemma Lorenat, Claire Weingrod and Linus Yamane. The Search Committee consulted the procedures used in the two previous searches for Dean of Faculty and designed the search process guided by the Faculty Handbook, which states: “the Dean of Faculty shall be appointed by the President and the Faculty Executive Committee from a slate developed by an ad hoc Search Committee.”
The Search Committee (1) reviewed applications that were submitted from all of the Claremont Colleges; (2) conducted hour-long Zoom interviews with nine semi-finalists; (3) worked with FEC to determine the two finalists, who were then invited for two-day campus visits; (4) solicited input from faculty, staff and students primarily through a confidential online survey; (5) deliberated and then submitted a report that summarized the input to FEC and the President.
FEC met at length with the Search Committee on March 25, 2019, during which the Search Committee presented their report and answered questions on results. Per the Faculty Handbook policy, FEC and President Oliver jointly appointed Allen after careful deliberation and review of the feedback from the Pitzer community.
We thank all of those involved in this search, including those who attended the finalists’ talks and submitted feedback on the candidates. We are grateful for the active engagement of our faculty and the administrative staff in Academic Affairs, particularly Shelva Paulse.
Finally, we thank Professor Nigel Boyle for his great service as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. Nigel, you have presided with distinction over a period of great change at the College. We wish you the best on your Fulbright.
Melvin L. Oliver
President |
Claudia Strauss
Chair, Faculty Executive Committee |
