Message from the AFRE Chair (Spring 2014)
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EmailMessage from the AFRE Chair (Spring 2014)
On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees approved my appointment as associate provost and dean of International Studies and Programs (ISP). I accepted the ISP interim dean position at the request of Provost June Youatt ? a decision driven in no small part by the importance of international programs to AFRE. While I initially had no intention of becoming a candidate for the permanent appointment, I am honored at this opportunity to help advance MSU’s global reach and shape the university’s brand on the world stage.
This new responsibility means that I will soon need to step down as chairperson of the department. My understanding is that Dean Poston, in consultation with the AFRE DAC, will appoint an acting chair, and the department will then begin the formal process of conducting a national search for a permanent chairperson. Dean Poston will be at the May 9 faculty meeting to discuss the transition and process for searching for and selecting a new chair.
I feel fortunate to have been allowed the opportunity to serve as chairperson. Over the last ten years, AFRE has elevated scholarly excellence throughout our programs; enhanced the quality of students’ educational experiences; delivered dynamic, high-impact outreach programs to stakeholders; and become more competitive in generating external funding from a diverse set of donors and granting agencies. Through the hard work of faculty, staff and students, we have become a top-ranked department, and we’ve done it all while staying true to our core values.
I am pleased that I will remain connected to AFRE, especially through our international programs and through bonds of friendship that we have forged over the years.
Steve Hanson
