No new Barnard dean yet, but search to conclude this semester

The search for Barnard’s new dean is in full swing, according to administrators, though no names have publicly emerged as frontrunners.

Dean Dorothy Denburg announced over the summer that, at Barnard President Debora Spar’s request, she would step down as dean and assume instead the position of vice president for college relations. In an email to the student body, she referred to the move as “simply changing hats.”

Since then, a steering committee has been assembled to select a new dean. Its members met regularly over the summer. According to Barnard spokesperson Sun Min, the committee has since narrowed the number of candidates being considered.

The steering committee is composed of faculty, students, and alumnae. Student Government Association President Lara Avsar, BC ’11, and Jorie Dugan, BC ’11, both sit on the panel, as do professor Flora Davidson, chemistry professor Dina Merrer, Diana Center donor Diana Vagelos, BC ’55, Alumnae Affairs Director Erin Fredrick, BC ’01, and provost Elizabeth Boylan. Chief Operating Officer Gregory Brown serves as committee chair.

The student members, Brown said, are crucial to the committee. “A strong connection is necessary between the dean and our student body,” he wrote in an email.

Barnard has also hired an outside agency to help with the search.

“Building on Dean Denburg’s legacy, the new dean must relate well to students,” Brown wrote. “We are looking for a leader who will serve as an advocate for students and student life. The new dean will also be a competent and experienced manager as well as an excellent communicator.”

He added, “Another key characteristic is someone who has a respect for tradition and a willingness to innovate.”

The committee plans to wrap up the search process sometime this semester.