2008 Woodie Awards
Sproule will step down as A&S Dean
Grad school dean Brennan will take over in fall
Jared Vandergriff
Issue date: 3/2/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
On Thursday, Feb. 23, the current dean of the Saint Louis University College of Arts and Sciences tendered his resignation, effective June 30 of this year.
J. Michael Sproule, Ph. D., will step down after two years as dean at SLU, but he will stay with the University as a faculty member in the Department of Communication.
"I feel blessed to have been called here to SLU," he said. "And my call continues."
Sproule began his tenure as dean in 2004, after three years at Bowling Green State University, where he served as director of the School of Communication Studies and as a professor of interpersonal communication.
"I've had five grueling years of administrative work-two at SLU and three at Bowling Green," he said. "Betty, my wife, will be happy to get her husband back again."
In addition to teaching, Sproule said he has three book projects in the works, as well as a position as president of the National Communication Association. In fact, he is currently the primary planner of a 5,000-person convention for the NCA.
"I'll be president for a year, I'll work on these books, gear up my teaching," he said. "I've got a full plate."
Sproule's accomplishments as dean include the addition of a second full-time position in the Italian department, a new endowed chair in the philosophy department and the Digital Media Center Initiative, which Sproule described as a University-wide effort to improve technology on campus, "coming out of arts and sciences."
"It's been a wonderful experience, but I feel it's time to move on," he said.
University Provost Joe Weixlmann, Ph. D., in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences' chairpersons and associate deans, decided upon Graduate School Dean Don Brennnan, Ph. D., to serve as interim dean of arts and sciences for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. He will retain his duties as dean of the graduate school, a position he has held since 1988, during this time.
Brennan, who has been at SLU for 31 years and earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees here, said that he's "very excited" to serve as interim dean.
"I spent my first 13 years at SLU in arts and sciences," he said. "This is truly a coming home for me."
Brennan said that his current position has given him ample opportunity to work with many members of the administration of arts and sciences.
"I look forward to working with that talented group as well," he said.
Brennan said that his general goal as interim dean will be to develop a unique vision for each of the departments and programs in the college, which he will combine into a vision for the college as a whole.
"We can then use that vision as a road map for the permanent dean," he said.
J. Michael Sproule, Ph. D., will step down after two years as dean at SLU, but he will stay with the University as a faculty member in the Department of Communication.
"I feel blessed to have been called here to SLU," he said. "And my call continues."
Sproule began his tenure as dean in 2004, after three years at Bowling Green State University, where he served as director of the School of Communication Studies and as a professor of interpersonal communication.
"I've had five grueling years of administrative work-two at SLU and three at Bowling Green," he said. "Betty, my wife, will be happy to get her husband back again."
In addition to teaching, Sproule said he has three book projects in the works, as well as a position as president of the National Communication Association. In fact, he is currently the primary planner of a 5,000-person convention for the NCA.
"I'll be president for a year, I'll work on these books, gear up my teaching," he said. "I've got a full plate."
Sproule's accomplishments as dean include the addition of a second full-time position in the Italian department, a new endowed chair in the philosophy department and the Digital Media Center Initiative, which Sproule described as a University-wide effort to improve technology on campus, "coming out of arts and sciences."
"It's been a wonderful experience, but I feel it's time to move on," he said.
University Provost Joe Weixlmann, Ph. D., in conjunction with the College of Arts and Sciences' chairpersons and associate deans, decided upon Graduate School Dean Don Brennnan, Ph. D., to serve as interim dean of arts and sciences for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. He will retain his duties as dean of the graduate school, a position he has held since 1988, during this time.
Brennan, who has been at SLU for 31 years and earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees here, said that he's "very excited" to serve as interim dean.
"I spent my first 13 years at SLU in arts and sciences," he said. "This is truly a coming home for me."
Brennan said that his current position has given him ample opportunity to work with many members of the administration of arts and sciences.
"I look forward to working with that talented group as well," he said.
Brennan said that his general goal as interim dean will be to develop a unique vision for each of the departments and programs in the college, which he will combine into a vision for the college as a whole.
"We can then use that vision as a road map for the permanent dean," he said.