Dynamic, thoughtful leader named dean of the faculty

Abigail Van Slyck, interim dean of the faculty and Dayton Professor of Art History at Connecticut College, has been named the College’s dean of the faculty.

Abigail Van Slyck, interim dean of the faculty and Dayton Professor of Art History at Connecticut College, has been named the College’s dean of the faculty. The highest ranking officer after the president, the dean of the faculty is responsible for providing academic leadership for the College and its faculty.

In her new role, Van Slyck will provide leadership for the College’s educational mission, support faculty development and ensure the quality of the College curriculum. The dean is responsible for overseeing all academic departments and programs; stewarding the appointment, promotion and tenure of individual faculty members; identifying new chairs and program directors; reviewing the faculty compensation program; and administering the academic budget.

Van Slyck’s appointment was the culmination of a comprehensive search process, overseen by the Dean of the Faculty Search Committee, which included input from faculty, staff and students.

Van Slyck, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Smith College and her doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley, joined the College in 1999 after serving for a decade on the faculty of the University of Arizona, where she was associate professor of architecture, art history and women’s studies.

As the new dean of the faculty, Van Slyck succeeds Roger Brooks, Elie Wiesel Professor of Judaic Studies, who served as dean for seven years before stepping down in June.