Rowan University will see a change in dean for the College of Communication and Creative Arts, as present Dean Dr. Lorin Arnold has taken a position as provost at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, starting on July 1.

The university is currently undertaking the process of electing an interim dean to start immediately after Arnold leaves. Rowan University hopes to have the interim dean named by the beginning of April.

The interim dean will be selected from within the existing faculty in the College of Communication and Creative Arts.

“They come from within the college because this person will have the expertise and know the day-to-day issues of the college,” said Dr. Jim Newell, provost of Rowan University.

The process of selecting a permanent dean, however, is a more elaborate process, and involves the formation of a committee, comprised of faculty from every department in the college, as well as student and alumni representation.

The interview process for the selection of a permanent position will not begin until fall 2016, as those who were qualified and seek a dean’s position for the fall have likely already found a position elsewhere, for that year. The committee hopes to elect a permanent dean by July 2017.

Though Arnold will leave the college with an interim dean for the next academic year, Newell believes that she has done an exceptional job at Rowan, and will continue to do so at SUNY at New Platz.

“Lorin has been an exceptional dean, and for her, this really was the next logical step. The fact she has found such a position at a very good place very quickly speaks to her abilities,” Newell said. “I’m very happy for her both personally and professionally.”

Arnold has had an overwhelmingly positive view of the College of Communication and Creative Arts during her seven years as dean of the college. As dean, she feels her position to oversee the college allowed her to know it very well, form a good impression of it and then report that to others.

“It was delightful to see what the faculty and students were accomplishing,” Arnold said. “It was truly a pleasure to be the representative to external bodies because it was so easy for me to say positive things — because there was so much for me to say.”

Arnold has been a faculty member at Rowan University since 1998. Originally, she acted as a professor within the communication studies department.

“My hope is that the next dean will continue to work on demonstrating to the university that communication and creativity are interwoven with so many other facets of life,” Arnold said. “I hope that the new dean continues to promote the college and get involved, then they’ll bring so much to the students.”

Arnold will eventually have her family join her in New York, but her youngest daughter remains local for now to finish her last two years of high school.

“I am very excited about this new opportunity,” Arnold said. “But I’ll miss Rowan, because it’s been my home away from home for 18 years.”

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