Published July 17, 2024
Dear University Community:
I am writing to share that Dean Robin G. Schulze has informed me of her decision to step down as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and return to her faculty role. An innovative dean and dedicated university leader, Dean Schulze has significantly advanced UB’s educational, research, and engagement missions. A search for the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will commence soon; Dean Schulze has agreed to remain as dean until her successor is hired.
Appointed dean in 2016, Dean Schulze has led UB’s largest and most diverse academic unit through a nationally challenging time for liberal arts education while strengthening its programs and partnerships. As dean, she has been committed to enhancing the strength and reputation in the college through building disciplinary excellence, providing students with innovative and research-grounded educational experiences, improving student success metrics and outcomes, promoting inclusive excellence, and deepening engagement in the community. Under Dean Schulze’s leadership, the college has advanced each of these goals.
Dean Schulze has championed and sustained a research and scholarship culture within the college. Under her leadership, the college has recruited excellent new faculty and significantly enhanced faculty diversity. During her time as dean, the college has increased research expenditures by more than 68%, from approximately $22 million in 2015/16 to $37 million in 2022/23, and substantially increased faculty grant proposals. In addition, Dean Schulze has secured major investments to enhance the college’s disciplinary excellence, including funds to support endowed Innovation Professors.
To enhance faculty impact and to provide students with exceptional educational opportunities, Dean Schulze has focused on creating interdisciplinary departments and programs in key areas of college strength and societal importance. These include innovative new or reinvigorated departments including environment and sustainability, Indigenous studies, global gender and sexuality studies, and Africana and American studies. Dean Schulze has also led the college in building partnerships with other schools to offer collaborative degree programs, including the UB Teach program, the joint bachelor’s and law degree, and the unique interdisciplinary master’s program in drugs, health and society. Across degree programs, Dean Schulze has prioritized student success and focused on providing students with career-building, hands-on learning experiences grounded in research and community engagement.
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Colleagues, please join me in thanking Dean Schulze for her dedicated leadership and service to the University and College of Arts and Sciences, and for her continued leadership while we search for her successor.
Sincerely,
A. Scott Weber Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs