From Dean Adrian Randolph
My thanks to all the faculty and staff, both in the College and across the University, who have welcomed me so warmly into the Northwestern community. I’m delighted to join this dynamic academic community and look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead.
Since I arrived on July 1, I have met with many of you across the College. It’s clear that in addition to fostering high-level research, Weinberg College is deeply committed to creating extraordinary learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom for both our undergraduate and graduate students.
Research is the fuel that powers institutions such as Northwestern. This fuel circulates throughout the entire system, from undergraduate research, through graduate study and into the offices, laboratories, libraries and fieldwork of our professors. In addition to our faculty and students, our dedicated staff sustains our research momentum by maintaining an environment within which we can all flourish.
As many of you know, in 2013 the College began to develop a new strategic plan. I have been working with my colleagues in the Office of the Dean to rekindle that process and finalize that document. Undoubtedly, the plan will guide us as we develop new projects and pursue new priorities. It cannot, however, be a comprehensive plan for an institution as complex as Weinberg. We will continue to devise plans for every department, program and center, as well as other groups within the College. Our strategic plan will allow us to target particular areas and themes and help us generate support for initiatives on campus and beyond. I will be in touch about further developments as they occur.
As dean, one of my priorities will be to maintain and extend the quality of our research profile by working creatively with departments, programs, centers, institutes and other Northwestern schools. I also wish to ensure that our students are active partners in cultivating the intellectual environment that enables our research success.
In closing, I would like to express my deep thanks to John Franks, professor of mathematics and outgoing senior associate dean for faculty. Although I have known John for only a short time, it is clear to me that his departure from the Office of the Dean is a great loss. He approaches his work with dedication and humor, and he will be missed. We are, however, delighted to welcome Edward Gibson, professor of political science, and Ann Bradlow, professor of linguistics, into senior administrative roles in the College. Edward will become the new associate dean for faculty, while Ann will take on a new role as associate dean for academic initiatives. I am very much looking forward to working with them as well as with all of you here at Weinberg and Northwestern.
Adrian Randolph
Dean, Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences