Senior level changes, interim fine arts dean noted
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere has announced senior-level changes in his core administrative team and an interim leader for the School of Fine Arts.
Danny Anderson
Danny Anderson, associate dean for interdisciplinary programs and area studies centers in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will become the new vice provost for academic affairs effective June 1.
Anderson replaces Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, who announced earlier this year that she will leave her senior vice provost for academic affairs post to become an honors faculty fellow for the University Honors Program.
"Danny Anderson is a well-known scholar with an impressive publishing record, but he also is admired by colleagues for his calm and steady administrative style," Lariviere said. "His many talents and interests, such as service learning, scholarship about contemporary Mexico and involvement with Hispanic community organizations, will serve KU and Kansas very well."
On the faculty since 1988, Anderson was named associate dean in 2006. A professor of Spanish and Portuguese, Anderson chaired that department for five years beginning in 2000. Anderson was awarded a prestigious Kemper fellowship in 2004 and received a $30,000 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for University Teachers in 1995.
John Gronbeck-Tedesco
John Gronbeck-Tedesco, professor of theatre and film, will become interim dean of the School of Fine Arts, starting July 1, until a permanent dean is hired.
Gronbeck-Tedesco brings strong administrative experience to the post, having served as an associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, chair of the theatre and film department, interim director of the University Honors Program and a faculty member of the University Theatre. A playwright and director, he was the co-founder and editor of the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, for which he continues to be a consulting editor.
"John Gronbeck-Tedesco's academic home of theatre and film is based in our College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, but it obviously has allowed him many interactions with students, faculty and staff in our School of Fine Arts. He gives us diverse administrative experience and a deep understanding of the arts, and we are fortunate that he can step in at this important time," Lariviere said.
The nationwide search for fine arts dean will continue.
Don Steeples
The university recently interviewed a strong pool of candidates, but the search committee ultimately recommended that the search be continued.
"The goal always is to find the right person for the job, and we will take additional time finding that leader," Lariviere said.
In other changes in the provost's office, Don Steeples' title will change to senior vice provost for scholarly support, identifying Steeples as the senior administrator among the provost's office staff. He has been vice provost for scholarly support since 2003.
Tracy Horstman
Steeples' primary areas of responsibility are design and construction management, parking and facilities operations.
A faculty member in the Department of Geology, Steeples has been the McGee Distinguished Professor of Applied Geophysics since 1993. He recently concluded a six-month distinguished lectureship for the international Society of Exploration Geophysicists for which he gave lectures on every continent except Antarctica.
Steeples' assistant Tracy Horstman, space analyst, will become director of space management, with responsibility for monitoring and allocating academic, administrative and research space. Before joining the Office of Space Management in 2003, Horstman worked in corporate design and construction management for 18 years.
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