Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that Professor Sara Guyer, Dean of Arts & Humanities, will serve as Convening Dean of our College of Letters & Science (CDLS) beginning July 1, 2026. This newly named position coincides with the reinstatement of the position of Dean of the Undergraduate Division in Letters & Science. This is part of returning the College to an earlier leadership model where a representative dean (formerly Executive Dean and before that Chair of Deans) serves as the chief convener of the College’s collective decanal leadership, as well as Dean of the L&S Core.
The Convening Dean of L&S will work closely with the deans of the College’s divisions, including the Undergraduate Division, and campus leadership to support coordination, finance, communication, philanthropy, and shared governance. The Convening Dean will also represent the College’s various committees and boards. The position will rotate at a regular interval with an initial one-year appointment, with transitions to be announced by L&S going forward.
Sara has served as dean of Arts & Humanities since 2021 and was recently reappointed to a second five-year term. A professor of English and scholar of literary studies and critical theory, she is widely recognized for her leadership in advancing the role of the humanities in higher education. She will continue to serve as Dean of Arts & Humanities while serving as Convening Dean.
We are grateful to Sara for her willingness to take on this additional responsibility in service to the College and the campus community. We also extend our sincere thanks to Jenna Johnson-Hanks for her leadership and many contributions to Letters & Science.
Sincerely,
Richard K. Lyons
Chancellor
Benjamin E. Hermalin
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
