Nancy Goroff, one of four College of Arts and Science dean finalists, visited campus Monday and Tuesday to meet with administration, hold an open forum and speak with students.
Goroff is currently a professor and chair for the chemistry department at Stony Brook University. She has been a faculty member at Stony Brook since 1997 and has been the chair of the chemistry department since January 2017. She was nominated by a colleague at Stony Brook University for the position of dean of the College of Arts and Science at MU and has been chosen as one of the top four candidates.
Goroff said she wants to be a part of MU because she believes in the mission statements of research-promoting schools.
“I love being at a public research university,” Goroff said. “I also love the idea of a college of arts and sciences; not every [university] has that. There are opportunities to do new things by developing more interdisciplinary research and activities.”
Goroff has been able to meet with faculty, staff and administration to learn more about the university. She also held informal meetings with graduate and undergraduate students to discuss her past experiences and answer questions.
Drew Hill, Arts and Science Student Council president, was asked to introduce Goroff during an undergraduate meet and greet. He said he prepared a few questions in advance to keep the conversation flowing during the event. Hill said he was glad the university is open about the search for new leadership.
“You want to be as transparent as possible if you’re going through a transition with a dean,” Hill said. “It’s really cool that they invited undergraduates to talk to her. I really got a sense of peace of mind.”
Hill said what may set Goroff apart from other candidates is her knowledge of leadership for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
“I think she has a lot of diverse experience under her belt,” Hill said. “Overall, since undergraduate colleges are so much different than graduate schools, having that experience really makes [her] a diverse candidate.”
While Purdue University chemistry professor Jeffrey Roberts has been the only other candidate for the dean position released, Goroff said her understanding of leadership positions and her attention to details may set her apart from the other finalists.
“I have administrative experience across a broad set of disciplines,” Goroff said. “I like listening to people and what they have to say. I’m ready to learn and come up with solutions collaboratively to help each department be as strong as it can be.”
According to the position announcement from MU, the dean of the College of Arts and Science will oversee 28 departments, 13 programs, 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 700 full-time faculty and staff.
Roberts held his open forum on Thursday. The third candidate’s open forum will be on Oct. 23 and the fourth candidate’s forum will be on Oct. 26. The remaining two finalists will be announced 48 hours before their visits.
_Edited by Olivia Garrett | ogarrett@themaneater.com_