Ohio University’s provost office named Margaret Kennedy-Dygas the new College of Fine Arts dean Friday.
She will succeed Interim Dean Madeleine Scott, who replaced Charles McWeeny after he stepped down from the position to become a faculty member in June. Scott’s 2012-2013 salary is $143,000. McWeeny’s was $186,877 during his time as dean.
Kennedy-Dygas is set to start May 20 and her salary will be $155,000, said Ann Fidler, chief of staff for the provost and chief financial officer, in an email.
As a tenured professor on paid leave, McWeeny currently makes $191,549. When he returns to full-time teaching next year his salary will be $114,929.
Kennedy-Dygas, who is currently a professor of music and an associate dean in the College of the Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said in a news release that she was “thrilled to be joining the team at OU.”
Before Kennedy-Dygas’ on-campus interview in December, she said she thinksthe university will have to begin to look at other revenue streams in the future.
“Money from the state is shrinking, and it has been a very fast tumble,” she said. “The student population is going to have less means to pay higher tuition costs.”
In the release, Kennedy-Dygas said her highest priority as dean will be “nurturing excellence” and “connecting the creative geniuses” in the college with the needs of people in Southeast Ohio and beyond.
Scott said she chose not to apply after serving as interim because she is looking to retire soon, according to a previous Post article.
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