To the ±«Óãtv Community:
As we begin the 2025–26 academic year, I am pleased to announce recently appointed and continuing academic-administrative leadership for the coming year.
In the Division of Arts and Humanities, Yukari Hirata will return as division director. There are four new chairs: DeWitt Godfrey (Art, Music, and Theater), Jennifer Brice (English and Creative Writing), Megan Abbas (Religion), and Patrick Riley (Romance Languages and Literatures). They join Geoff Benson (Classics), Scott Mehl (East Asian Language and Literatures), Matthew Miller (German), and Maura Tumulty (Philosophy).
In the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Joel Sommers will begin a term as division director. There are two new chairs and a new director: Rebecca Metzler (Physics and Astronomy), Rebecca Shiner (Psychological and Brain Sciences), and Bruce Hansen (Neuroscience). They join Geoff Holm (Biology), Jason Keith (Chemistry), Aaron Gember-Jacobson (Computer Science), Aubreya Adams (Earth and Environmental Geosciences), and Aaron Robertson (Mathematics).
In the Division of Social Sciences, Rob Nemes will continue to serve as division director. There are four new chairs: Ashley Taylor (Educational Studies), Heather Roller (History), Ed Fogarty (Political Science), and Chandra Russo (Sociology and Anthropology). They join Nicole Simpson (Economics), Bill Meyer (Geography), and Danielle Lupton (International Relations).
In the Division of University Studies, Chris Henke will continue to serve as division director. New University Professors include Anthony Chianese (First-Year Seminars, fall 2025), Peter Klepeis (First-Year Seminars, starting spring 2026), and Jennifer Lutman (Living and Learning Workshop). They join continuing University Professors Teo Ballvé (Core Communities), Ben Child (Core Conversations), and Jennifer Tomlinson (Core Sciences).
Jennifer LeMesurier will begin a term as chair of the Department of Writing and Rhetoric.
New program directors include Ani Maitra (Film and Media Studies), Rebecca Upton (Global Public and Environmental Health), Mark Stern (LGBTQ Studies, fall 2025), and Chris Henke (Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies), as well as Dominique Hill (African American coordinator in ALST), Kezia Page (Caribbean coordinator in ALST, fall 2025), Paul Humphrey (Caribbean coordinator in ALST, spring 2026).
Continuing program directors include Kezia Page (Africana and Latin American Studies), Rebecca Upton (African Studies coordinator in ALST), Osvaldo Sandoval-Leon (Latin American Studies coordinator in ALST), Yang Song (Asian Studies), Mike Loranty (Environmental Studies), Noah Dauber (Jewish Studies), Danny Barreto (LGBTQ Studies), Spencer Kelly (Linguistics), Alan Cooper (Medieval and Renaissance Studies), Elizabeth Marlowe (Museum Studies), Jenna Reinbold (Native American Studies), Jacob Mundy (Peace and Conflict Studies), Mieka Erley (Russian and Eurasian Studies), and Nimanthi Rajasingham (Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies).
Yariv Amir, vice president and director of athletics, will continue to represent the Division of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics on the Dean’s Advisory Council.
Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Doug Johnson, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, will continue his service in the dean’s office as Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs. Christian DuComb, Associate Professor of Theater, will continue as Associate Dean of the Faculty for Recruitment and Development; April Baptiste, Leary Family Chair in Environmental Studies and Professor of Environmental and Africana and Latin American Studies, will continue as Associate Dean of the Faculty for Global and Local Initiatives; and Carolyn Hsu, Charles A. Dana Professor of Sociology will continue to serve as Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity.
Martin Wong has joined the PDOF team as the new Associate Provost for Administration and Planning. Ani Maitra, Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies will serve as the Special Assistant to the Dean and New York Six Mellon Fellow. Director of Academic Operations Diane Beach, Administrative Coordinator Cassidy Rodman, and Assistant to the Dean of Faculty/Provost Tammy Still round out the PDOF team.
Jason Meyers and Paul Humphrey will continue to serve as parliamentarian and co-parliamentarian, respectively.
To those who have completed their appointments, please accept our — and my — deep appreciation and sincere gratitude for your significant contributions to ±«Óãtv and our academic programs.
Sincerely,
Lesleigh R. Cushing
Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Mark S. Siegel University Professor in Religion and Jewish Studies