Jump to content

VCU Announces Personnel Changes

Pamela DiSalvo Lepley
VCU Communications and Public Relations
(804) 828-6057
pdlepley@vcu.edu

7/22/2008

Virginia Commonwealth University today announced several changes in administrative positions at the university.

Robert D. Holsworth, Ph.D., is stepping down as dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences. He will continue at VCU as professor of political science and special assistant to the provost.

Holsworth joined the VCU faculty in 1978 and has served as chair of the political science and public administration departments. He also was director of the Center for Public Policy and director of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Holsworth served as dean beginning in an interim capacity in July 2004.

"I have the greatest respect for what Dr. Holsworth has accomplished as dean of VCU's largest academic unit," said Stephen D. Gottfredson, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. "I am delighted that he will continue to help advance VCU as a major, national university."

Among his numerous achievements, Holsworth is the recipient of the Virginia Commonwealth University Outstanding Teacher and the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia Outstanding Faculty awards. He has held several non-academic leadership positions including executive director of the Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness. He has authored numerous books and academic writings and is a regular speaker and guest lecturer.

Fred M. Hawkridge, Ph.D., executive associate dean, will serve as interim dean of the College beginning Aug. 1.

Peter S. Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., has resigned as executive director of the VCU Office of International Education and will continue at VCU as associate professor of French. Kirkpatrick, co-founder of the VCU French Film Festival, also has resigned as co-director of the festival.

Kirkpatrick has been instrumental in the development of VCU's international partnership initiative to establish significant collaborations with 16 universities around the world. Under his direction, the VCU French Film Festival grew to be the largest French Film Festival in the United States and a major annual event in the Richmond area.

"Dr. Kirkpatrick's extraordinary leadership has helped to internationalize VCU," said Richard E. Toscan, vice provost for International Affairs and dean of the VCU School of the Arts.

Toscan said VCU remains committed to continuing the VCU French Film Festival and that leadership for the international education and festival programs will be announced shortly.

An interim executive director of the Office of International Programs will be named shortly.

S. Jon Steingass, Ph.D., is leaving as dean of the University College to accept a position in another state. Steingass served as the founding dean of the University College, VCU's innovative central home for university-wide programs and resources that enhance students' undergraduate experience. Steingass, who came to VCU in 2001, also served as associate dean for undergraduate affairs for the College of Humanities and Sciences.

"Under Dr. Steingass' leadership as dean of University College, VCU's freshmen retention rate has risen more than 20 percent, to 86 percent," Gottfredson said. "He has become a national leader in the first-year college experience and has assembled an extraordinary team that will ensure the ongoing success of this signature university initiative."

Joseph A. Marolla, Ph.D., vice provost for instruction, will serve as acting dean of the University College, beginning July 26.

Michael D. Pratt, Ph.D. has announced his decision not to continue as interim director of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and as director of the VCU Center for Public Policy, effective Aug. 15.  He will remain at VCU as professor of economics. 

Pratt, who came to VCU in 1979, also serves on the Governor's Advisory Board of Economists.

"Among many accomplishments, Dr. Pratt's economic impact studies for the university have resulted in widespread recognition of VCU as an economic engine for central Virginia," Gottfredson said.

Pratt's replacement as interim director of the Wilder School and Center for Public Policy will be named in the near future.

About VCU and the VCU Medical Center

Virginia Commonwealth University is a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research. Located on two downtown campuses in Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 32,000 students in 211 certificate and degree programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Sixty-nine of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU’s 13 schools and one college. MCV Hospitals and the health sciences schools of Virginia Commonwealth University compose the VCU Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. For more, see www.vcu.edu.