Any backstory on why this change is happening? I’d heard the current Dean was good and they seem to have a novel and attractive learning environment in Oxford that I’d hate to see get disrupted due to a leadership change.
@Moonshot99 I don’t think it would be…the Oxford model is something that is well-marketed and kind of known in among highered academics (and has been around across several deans I’m sure) and a dean honestly can’t have that much control over faculty especially considering that many depts and faculty members are running courses with below par resources (and they are doing it better than places with a lot of resources).
I feel like a dean would have more authority on main campus and it is kind of suggested that they do. Dean Foreman kind of drove the departmental closings and rearrangements and is also the one who kind of stepped in and told the chemistry dept that it should revamp or innovate its curriculum (and he could put this sort of pressure on them since a significant amount of funding for the new building came from the college). However, in the case of Oxford, many things are being done well (at least the educational model is good. There will always be faculty that deviate or suck, but it isn’t the culture there to have UG ed. as a well-done afterthought).
There were recent controversies regarding governance and policies on both campuses though (people were for example taken aback by Oxford’s new residential requirement).
The big thing that could shake things up (perhaps for the better-remains to be seen) is the new University president selection. If they select from outside of the university, there is a chance things may turn upwards or at the very least we may get a new perspective and some progress in certain areas. If the select internally, expect the status quo.
There is no longer such a requirement. You’re welcome.
I’d be curious to hear who told you that… most people had no idea who he was and commonly mistook Oxford’s Dean of Campus Life for the Dean of Oxford College.
@aigiqinf : Well, thank goodness that was avoided.