David Wrobel, dean of the OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, will be stepping down to become the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University in New York, leaving four interim or acting deans out of 16 at OU.
Wrobel’s last day at OU will be July 31. According to the Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright’s press release, Wrobel joined OU faculty in 2011 and was appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in June 2018.
In the past six years, the release stated the College of Arts and Sciences endowment has grown from $81 million to over $246 million, and Wrobel has been influential in securing gifts including the one from the Dodge family, which led to the college’s naming.
Wrobel also directed the launch of new initiatives such as the creation of the college’s Strategic Plan and the establishment of the School of Biological Sciences, the Dodge Family Scholars undergraduate scholarship and cohort program, and the new Student Success and Advising Center.
As the search begins for a new dean, OU Graduate College Dean Randall Hewes will step in as interim dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, pending the Board of Regents’ approval, according to the release.
In April, OU had six open dean positions, the most among its current Big 12 Conference and future SEC peers.
For the SEC, the median was 1.5 open dean positions, with Texas A&M University having five open positions.
OU has four open dean positions in the Honors College; the David L. Boren College of International Studies; the College of Professional and Continuing Studies; and, now, the College of Arts and Sciences.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Avery Avery copy edited this story.
