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Seeking the next Dean for Graduate Education

Seeking the next Dean for Graduate Education

Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD ’75 intends to hire the Dean of Graduate Education by July 1, filling the vacancy created by the departure of Steven R. Lerman ’72. Lerman, who held the positions of Dean of Graduate Education and Vice Chancellor, left MIT this spring to become Provost of George Washington University. In the meantime, Senior Associate Dean Blanche E. Staton will run the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education.

The final decision for the appointment will rest with Chancellor Clay. To help aid his decision, Clay created the Dean of Graduate Education Advisory Group. In an email sent April 16, Chancellor Clay invited the MIT Community to give recommendations for membership to the Advisory Group. In the end, Clay appointed six Professors (Martin L. Culpepper, Karen K. Gleason ’82, Kai von Fintel, John A. Ochsendorf, and Maria T. Zuber) as well as the President of the Graduate Student Council, Ulric J. Ferner G.

The Dean of Graduate Education will be responsible to advocate for the interests of graduate students, to counsel graduate students academically and personally, and to distribute fellowships. Additionally, the Dean will facilitate the recruitment of underrepresented minority and women students. Only current tenured faculty are being considered for the position.

According to Clay, Lerman’s other position, Vice Chancellor, will be filled at a later date.