Ohio University students have settled back into classes after a long Winter Intersession, but one administrator is still waiting for his first official day in Athens.
After a nationwide search, Robert Frank was named the College of Arts and Sciences dean in December. He will succeed Interim Dean Howard Dewald at the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year.
Frank, a psychology professor, is currently the associate dean for research and graduate studies in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati.
“I’m trying to remain patient and tie some loose ends at Cincinnati. But, I am really looking forward to starting at Ohio University in August,” Frank said.
Frank said he has visited OU a couple of times since being named dean, most recently Jan. 15.
“Visiting helps me get my bearings in the community and my visit on Sunday doesn’t have anything to do with my position in the university,” Frank said.
Frank came to the college on two other occasions, for an on-campus interview and later to meet with Arts and Sciences officials, said Ann Fidler, chief of staff to OU Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit. The provost’s office led the dean search.
OU did not pay for Frank’s travel costs but did pay a total of $272.34 for three nights at the Ohio University Inn during his visits, Fidler said in an email.
“Dr. Frank may return to campus in the future, and whether or not the university pays for his housing will depend on the nature of his visit,” Fidler said.
Frank said he expects his visits to OU to become more frequent as August approaches.
“(Frank) doesn’t really need to be trained,” Fidler said. “He’s had a lot of high-level experiences, which is one of the reasons why we hired him.”
Evaluations filled out by those attending Frank’s and Dewald’s open forums during the interview process showed that the general reaction to Dewald acknowledged his extensive comprehension and commitment to OU and the College of Arts and Sciences. Many attendees noted Frank’s administrative experience at Cincinnati, saying it was a strong asset to his campaign for dean.
The evaluations were one of the factors the provost took into account when hiring Frank.
Dewald will continue to serve as interim dean until August 1. He said he might continue working as a faculty member and teach chemistry in the fall, but has not made definite plans.
“We certainly hope that Dr. Frank will do a good job at leading the college,” Dewald said. “The university is moving into semesters and is changing its budget model; these both will be ongoing issues for Dr. Frank.”
Frank will earn $200,000 as dean, up from the $191,900 earned by former dean Ben Ogles. In the interim position, Dewald was paid $130,000 a year.
As for the future of the College of Arts and Sciences, Frank said the groundwork is still being laid.
“It is a little premature for me to have any well-formed plans for the college, but at this point, it’s on my plate to learn a much greater depth about things that people are already doing,” Frank said. “The college has been doing a lot right, which should continue to go forward. I think that what I would anticipate is continuing with all of the successes on the past and building on those and expanding those successes into new scholarships, majors and emerging fields.”
bc822010@ohiou.edu
