Search for Next Honors Program Director Continues Nov. 30

Syracuse Professor Chris E. Johnson is first of three finalists to participate in public forums

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) has narrowed down its search for the next director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program to three candidates.

As part of the search process, each finalist will participate in a public forum on campus.

Chris E. Johnson, professor of civil and environmental engineering and interim director of the Honors Program at Syracuse, will participate in the first forum on Thursday, Nov. 30, from 4-5:15 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library.

Open to all members of the campus community, the event is being video-recorded for broadcast on the web. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for each event. If you have requests for accessibility and accommodations, please contact the Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services (EOIRS) office at 315.443.4018.

The other finalists are Danielle Taana Smith, professor of sociology and director of the Honors Program at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and David Settje, professor of history and director of the Honors Program at Concordia University Chicago. Their presentations are currently being scheduled, and are likely to occur before Dec. 15. The video of all presentations will be posted on http://asnews.syr.edu.

Each forum enables the finalist to share his or her vision for the Honors Program, an all-University program based in A&S. Afterward, he or she will field questions from the audience. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are then encouraged to send feedback to honorssearch@syr.edu or honorsrc@syr.edu. For more information, contact the Dean’s Office in A&S at 315.443.3949.

“Our search for the Honors Program’s next director is vitally important,” says Karin Ruhlandt, dean of A&S and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. “We are looking for someone with an exceptional portfolio of leadership and scholarship, as well as a clear grasp of the honors mission. It is our hope these presentations will enable the finalists to distinguish themselves, so the search committee can make an informed decision.”

The new director will collaborate with the program’s core faculty to guide honors curriculum, administration and procedures. He or she also will work closely with staff members to evaluate courses, advise students, manage records, implement policies and procedures, and oversee the budget.

The Honors Program is named for Renée Schine Crown ’50, H’84, a civic leader and philanthropist who is a member of the A&S Board of Visitors and a member emerita of the University’s Board of Trustees. Described as an enhanced educational experience for exceptional undergraduates, the Honors Program offers intellectual challenge and curricular enrichment through seminars, special cultural events and close contact with faculty and students.