In a message to the Bowdoin community relayed by President Mills, President-elect Clayton Rose announced the appointment of Jennifer Scanlon, Bowdoin’s William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of the Humanities in the Gender and Women’s Studies Program, and associate dean for the faculty, as Interim Dean for Academic Affairs.

Dear Members of the College,

I am pleased to announce that Jennifer Scanlon has agreed to serve as Interim Dean for Academic Affairs for a period of two years beginning July 1, 2015. Dean Cristle Collins Judd, who announced last week that she will be leaving the College in September to join the Mellon Foundation, will work with me and Jen during July and August as we make this important transition.

As you know, Jen is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of the Humanities in the Gender and Women’s Studies Program who has also served as associate dean for faculty at the College since 2013. After discussions with Jen and with others at the College, I believe that she is the right person to lead the division of academic affairs during this period.

Jen is a highly respected and accomplished scholar, author, and teacher who has a broad understanding of the curriculum, the needs of the faculty, and the student experience. As associate dean for faculty, she has focused specifically on mentoring and diversity, and more generally has developed a strong understanding of the work of the Dean’s office and the administration of the College.

We will conduct a national search for a permanent dean during the 2016-17 academic year. Jen’s two-year appointment will both help us preserve continuity in the office and allow me to get to know the faculty and their needs, develop an intimate understanding of the academic program, and to work with each of you to establish future goals for the College so that the search for a permanent dean will be as informed as possible.

I am grateful to Jen for her willingness to take on these critical responsibilities at the College, and I look forward to working closely with her beginning this summer. I am also grateful to Cristle for the time she has given me and the insights she has shared as I continue to learn about the College, and for her assistance in this transition from her leadership to Jen’s on July 1.

Sincerely,

Clayton Rose