For the first time in the 15 years of its existence, the position of Honors College Dean is open.
Honors College Dean Ted Estess’ resignation will take effect in August, and on May 27 The Honors College Dean Search Committee named four candidates to vie for the deanship and take on the program he spent 30 years creating.
Boston College political science professor Marc Landy and Murray Nabors, a University of Mississippi biology professor and former director of the Honors Program at Colorado State University, will participate in forums to present their platforms for deanship. The forums, open to the entire campus community, will take place from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in The Honors College Commons at M.D. Anderson Library.
"We advertised the position in the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is the standard and most comprehensive way to give notice of this kind of academic job opening," Robert Wimpelberg, Honors College Dean Search Committee chairman, said. "The search committee has identified those four applicants whose written application and first interviews suggested they had the most promise for this position."
Landy teaches and supervises the senior thesis on both of Boston College’s major interdisciplinary programs of study: the Boston Honors College and the Perspectives Program. As chair of the political science department, he worked with the Director of the Honors Program to establish the first joint appointment between academic departments and the Honors Program.
As Chair of the UM Department of Biology, Nabors established honors sections for freshman in the biology curriculum. For 11 years, he was the sole Principal Investigator and director of a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Agency for International Development and CSU.
During the past 30 years, University of North Texas English professor James Duban has directed an Honors Program in English and taught his signature course, Introduction to College, to entering Honors College students. If instated, he wishes to augment funding for the college’s emphasis on research-based undergraduate education and work in coordination with UH advancement officials to expand the base of Honors College funds.
"Estess’ excellent reputation is based on his extraordinary vision, compassion and leadership over a 30-year period," said Duban, who spoke at an open forum Wednesday. "In tribute to his inspirational devotion to UH, I would bring with me as dean my own passionate commitment to conserving the liberal-education foundation of The Honors College."
Duban plans to enhance prospects for research-based undergraduate education across disciplines and supplement what currently exists in The Honors College with opportunities for undergraduate development that present themselves in the future.
"I would, in the course of honoring Dr. Estess’ legacy, want students to continue to ponder the life worth living," Duban said.
Executive Associate Dean of The Honors College William Monroe, who presented his Honors College agenda Friday, has been directly involved in Honors College administration for the last 20 years. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the assistant dean for graduate studies and research in the College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communication.
Monroe serves as executive dean of The Honors College, second in command to Estess. In 1999, he served as the acting dean of the Honors College in Estess’ absence where he established an international academic exchange agreement between the University of Glasgow and UH to support student study abroad and promote faculty exchange.
Estess’ successor is to be chosen by the end of the summer.
