Dear CLAS Faculty and Staff:

I write to announce that Sara Sanders, PhD, has been appointed interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) effective July 30, 2020, pending Board of Regents, State of Iowa approval.  Steve Goddard, who served as dean since June 2019, has assumed a faculty role as professor in the Department of Computer Science in CLAS.  An announcement will be published in Iowa Now later today.  

Interim Dean Sanders is a professor in the School of Social Work, where she served as director from 2015-2019.  In January 2020, she was appointed as the associate dean for strategic initiatives and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  She is a well-respected leader across campus and is committed to ensuring a collaborative and welcoming campus community for students, faculty, and staff.  Under Interim Dean Sanders’ leadership I am confident the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences will continue to provide excellence in its core mission of education, research, and scholarship through this unprecedented, challenging time.  I look forward to Sara joining the university’s leadership team, and I thank her for serving in this important position.     

Interim Dean Sanders has agreed to serve in the interim role until a permanent dean is appointed.  I want to assure you that we will move forward in an inclusive and transparent manner and that faculty, staff, and students will have the opportunity to be engaged throughout the search process once a timeline has been determined.

Kevin Kregel, PhD

Interim Executive Vice President and Provost

Professor and Collegiate Fellow