Skip to content

Working Groups

2023-2024 Project Groups

In July 2023, President Beilock established a project steering committee to lead the A&S Future project through its second phase, led by Provost David Kotz and Professor Nina Pavcnik, and including Deans Elizabeth Smith and Scott Brown and other senior leaders.

Steering Committee: Charged with delivering a proposal for a new Arts and Sciences unit to Dartmouth leadership.

  • David Kotz (co-lead), Provost, and the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor in the Department of Computer Science
  • Nina Pavcnik (co-lead), Niehaus Family Professor in International Studies, Special Advisor to the President
  • Rebecca Biron, Professor of Spanish & Portuguese, Comparative Literature, Leslie Center
  • Scott Brown, Dean of the College
  • Lee Coffin, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
  • Scott Frew, Chief Financial Officer
  • Elizabeth Smith, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Paul M. Dauten, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Ann Root Keith, Chief Operating Officer for Advancement, Interim Chief Advancement Officer
  • Christie Thomas, Associate Professor of Philosophy

A&S Leadership Structure Task Group: Charged with recommending a leadership structure and responsibilities for a new A&S unit.

  • Elizabeth Smith (Lead), Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Paul M. Dauten, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Scott Brown, Dean of the College
  • Nina Pavcnik, Niehaus Family Professor in International Studies, Special Advisor to the President
  • Christie Thomas, Associate Professor of Philosophy

Undergraduate Student Affairs Task Group: Charged with recommending how an undergraduate student affairs division within A&S might be structured to enhance the holistic undergraduate experience and support the work of student affairs staff.

  • Rebecca Biron (lead), Professor of Spanish & Portuguese, Comparative Literature, Leslie Center
  • La-Tarri Canty, Associate Dean of Community Life and Inclusivity
  • Eric Ramsey, Associate Dean for Student Life
  • Holly Wilkinson, Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at Thayer

Advising & Student Support Task Group: Charged with recommending how an advising and student support division might be structured to enhance the holistic undergraduate experience and increase collaboration between faculty and staff.

  • Elizabeth Smith (Lead), Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Paul M. Dauten, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Tim Baker, Assistant Dean of the Faculty for Special Projects and Academic Advising
  • Margaret Funnell, Assistant Dean of the Faculty for Undergraduate Research
  • Anne Hudak, Associate Dean of Student Support Services
  • Doug Van Citters, Associate Professor of Engineering for the Thayer School of Engineering and Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
  • Janice McCabe, Associate Professor of Sociology, Allen House Professor

Undergraduate Admissions & Financial Aid Collaboration Task Group: Charged with exploring what structures might improve collaboration between the undergraduate admissions office, faculty, and student affairs staff.

  • Lee Coffin, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Advancement Task Group: Charged with recommending how Central Advancement might be structured to maximize collaborative opportunities and effectiveness in supporting a new unit.

  • Ann Root Keith, Chief Operating Officer for Advancement, Interim Chief Advancement Officer

Institutional Registrar Task Group: Charged with exploring how an institutional registrar might help coordinate and complement the work already taking place in individual schools and units.

  • Elizabeth Smith (Lead), Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Paul M. Dauten, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Libby Barlow, Associate Provost for Institutional Research
  • Eric Parsons, Registrar of the College

Finance & Budget Task Group: Charged with exploring how A&S and Thayer might receive undergraduate net tuition revenue and share the costs of undergraduate student affairs.

  • Scott Frew (Lead), Chief Financial Officer
  • Maria Anderson, Chief Finance and Operation Officer for the Arts and Sciences
  • Wesley Benbow, MBA, Executive Dean for Administration and Finance for the Geisel School of Medicine
  • Nina Pavcnik, Niehaus Family Professor in International Studies, Special Advisor to the President
  • Andrew Samwick, Sandra L. and Arthur L. Irving Professor of Economics
  • Tricia Spellman, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for the Thayer School of Engineering
  • Chris Strenta, Adviser, Dean of Faculty Office

2022-2023 Project Groups

In January 2022, Dartmouth President Phil Hanlon asked Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Elizabeth Smith to explore new organizational and budget models for the Arts and Sciences (A&S). Her charge: to recommend potential models that bring together all activities that support the research and teaching of the A&S faculty and the mission of undergraduate education; and, to align decision-making, priority-setting, and resource allocation across units invested in advancing the core undergraduate mission.  

At the close of the 2021-22 academic year, Dean Smith established and charged three groups of project leadership: an Executive Committee, a Budget Working Group, and an Organizational Structure and Governance Working Group.  These committees worked throughout the 2022-23 academic year.

Executive Committee: Charged with the oversight of all Working Groups to provide guidance and strategic direction in the ultimate development of a final recommendation on the future organizational structure and budget models. 

  • Elizabeth Smith (Lead), Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Paul M. Dauten, Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences
  • Justin Anderson, Vice President for Communications
  • Scott Brown, Ph.D, Dean of the College
  • Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
  • Scott Frew, Chief Financial Officer
  • Phil Hanlon, President
  • Mike Harrity, Haldeman Director of Athletics and Recreation
  • David Kotz, Provost, and the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor in the Department of Computer Science
  • Richard Mills, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
  • Chloe Poston, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity
  • Peter Roby, Advisor to the Director of Athletics and Recreation

Organizational Working Group: Charged with uncovering challenges posed by the current organization structure to analyze how a future structure may enhance shared governance and the undergraduate mission.

Faculty Success Working Group

  • Christine Thomas (Chair), Associate Professor of Philosophy
  • Jane Lipson, Albert W. Smith Professor of Chemistry, Associate Dean for the Sciences
  • Laura Ray, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Professor of Engineering for the Thayer School of Engineering
  • Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Student Success Working Group

  • Lee Coffin (Chair), Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
  • Rebecca Biron, Professor of Spanish & Portuguese, Comparative Literature, Leslie Center, CIPR
  • Joann Brislin, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Physical Education & Recreation
  • Anne Hudak , Associate Dean of Student Support Services
  • Eric Ramsey, Associate Dean for Student Life
  • Douglas Van Citters, Associate Professor of Engineering for the Thayer School of Engineering and Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
  • Marianne Thomson, Associate Dean of Student Affairs (past member)

Budget Working Group: Charged with the articulation of a potential future approach for a new funding relationship between the central institution and an undergraduate entity. 

  • Scott Frew, Chief Financial Officer
  • Maria Anderson, Chief Finance and Operation Officer for the Arts and Sciences
  • Wesley Benbow, MBA, Executive Dean for Administration and Finance for the Geisel School of Medicine
  • David Kotz, Provost, and the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor in the Department of Computer Science
  • Andrew Samwick, Sandra L. and Arthur L. Irving Professor of Economics, and Chair of Department of Economics
  • Tricia Spellman, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer for the Thayer School of Engineering
  • Christopher Strenta, Advisor, Dean of Faculty Office
  • Mary-Ella Zietz, Assistant Provost for Fiscal Planning and Operations