The below message was sent to faculty and staff on May 27, 2025.
Dear faculty and staff colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that starting on July 1st, Lisa Saltzman, Professor of History of Art on the Emily Rauh Pulitzer '55 Professorship, will assume the role of Interim Dean of Graduate Studies at the College.
Lisa has been at the College since 1997 and has served in an impressive number of key academic, administrative, and service roles. She will no doubt bring her experience and vision for graduate studies to the position.
Lisa is an accomplished leader in her field, having been recognized as a Guggenheim Fellow, an Oakley Fellow at the Clarke Institute, and a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Lisa has also served as the Starr Director of Research and Academic Programs at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, a leading international center for research, in Williamstown, Mass. Lisa's reputation as a scholar and expert in modern and contemporary art has been the basis for a long list of invitations to represent the College in a variety of ways, including on external advisory boards, councils, grant evaluation committees, fellowship selection committees, and thesis/dissertation committees.
Lisa was a driving force behind the creation of the Center for Visual Culture (CVC), which celebrated its 25th anniversary at the College last year. The CVC has hosted an impressive cohort of distinguished scholars and guests on campus, enriching the graduate student experience and enlivening campus engagement and dialogue. In addition to serving as the Director of the CVC, Lisa has fulfilled innumerable leadership roles at the College, including Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies for the History of Art Department.
Also beginning July 1st, Jamie Taylor, Mary E. Garrett Alumnae Professor of Literatures in English, will serve as an Associate Provost for the 2025–26 academic year. Jamie’s extensive service on various College committees has prepared her well for the work she will do in the Provost’s Office. Beth Shepard-Rabadam and Leslie Cheng will continue in their roles as Associate Provosts.
Jamie arrived at the College in 2006 and has contributed broadly to the curriculum beyond the Literatures in English Department. Jamie’s courses have enriched our Bi-Co Environmental Studies Program and our Programs in Gender and Sexualities and Comparative Literature. From 2009–12, Jamie held the Helen Taft Manning Endowed Chair of British History at the College.
Lisa succeeds Xuemei May Cheng, who has served as dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for the past four years. During her tenure, May strengthened both the school’s administration and its reputation. We are deeply grateful for her dedicated service and for her support in ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
Please join us in congratulating Lisa and Jamie on their new roles at the College for the 2025-26 academic year.
Sincerely,
Tim Harte, Provost and Professor of Russian
David Karen, Interim Provost beginning July 1 and Professor of Sociology
