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Fresh face to serve as interim CAS dean

Amelia Carpenter, Campus Editor

Miami University's College of Arts and Science will have an interim dean for 2011 after the current dean's early resignation.

Interim Provost John Skillings appointed Senior Associate Dean Phyllis Callahan to the position effective Jan. 1, 2011.

Current Dean Karen Schilling will end her term Dec. 31.

Skillings sought advice from program directors and department chairs in the college in determining who would serve best as interim dean. He said Callahan had overwhelmingly strong support.

"It was an easy decision for me to make," Skillings said. "She was the right person for the position."

Callahan is a professor of zoology and works with undergraduate and graduate students in neuroendocrinology research, for which she is nationally recognized.

Callahan said her favorite thing about working at Miami has been hearing from her students who pursued careers in science.

"Those are the kinds of things professors like to hear," she said.

Callahan recently served on the Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT) and will continue to be a part of discussions related to changes at the university.

"One of the things I look forward to doing is working with faculty, program chairs (and) staff to address challenges we have, and there will be many," Callahan said.

She said the SPT made careful, informed recommendations and she is prepared to be a part of moving forward.

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The new provost will decide when the search for a continuing dean will begin, according to Skillings. He assumes that process will begin in fall 2011.