The University Record, July 10, 1995
Cantor to be recommended as Rackham dean; Weisbuch to serve on interim basis
The appointment of Nancy Cantor as vice provost for academic affairs-graduate studies and dean of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies will be recommended to the Regents at their July meeting by Provost Gilbert R. Whitaker Jr. Her appointment would be effective July 1, 1996.
Cantor is chair of the Department of Psychology and professor of psychology at Princeton University.
The Regents approved the appointment of Robert A. Weisbuch as interim dean of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies at their June meeting. He will serve a one-year term effective July 1. They will succeed John H. D’Arms.
Cantor will lead the University’s efforts to review and revise its graduate degree programs. Whitaker says the title of vice provost for academic affairs-graduate studies “signifies the interest of the University community in evaluating and altering, if deemed appropriate, the University’s approach to the delivery and support of graduate education.”
Cantor will chair the Rackham Executive Board and also will be a member of a central administration team concerned with Universitywide graduate education and graduate enrollment management. This team will include the provost, vice president for research and the associate provost.
Commenting on Cantor’s recommendation, President James J. Duderstadt said: “During his 10 years as dean, John D’Arms greatly increased the intellectual centrality and credibility of the Graduate School. We are delighted that Dr. Cantor is willing to assume the leadership role at Rackham. We will look to her for strategic advice in graduate education across the University as well as on academic matters more generally.”
Cantor holds an A.B. from Sarah Law-rence College and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. She was appointed assistant professor of psychology at Princeton in 1978 and associate professor in 1981.
She joined the U-M as associate professor in 1983, was named professor in 1987 and was a research scientist at the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, in 1987-91.
While here, she was area chair of the Personality Psychology Program in 1984-88 and associate dean for faculty programs in the Graduate School in 1989-91. She left the U-M for Princeton in 1991.
Weisbuch, who is the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of English, professor of English language and literature, associate vice president for research and associate dean for faculty programs in the Graduate School, is a widely recognized speaker and consultant in undergraduate education and the humanities. His awards include the Class of ’23 Award in 1975 and the Amoco Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1985.
“Within the University, Dr. Weisbuch has provided significant leadership through a broad array of departmental, college and University committees,” noted Provost Gilbert R. Whitaker Jr. in recommending Weisbuch for the interim post. “He has been a member of the English department executive, salary policy, hiring and curriculum committees and chair of two major LS&A committees on the undergraduate experience.
“Dr. Weisbuch has an outstanding record as a distinguished scholar and teacher, as a strong advocate of the undergraduate educational experience, as a creative leader of a large academic department and as a thoughtful contributor to many University initiatives,” he continued.
An eight-member advisory team appointed by the provost last November continues to search for a permanent successor to D’Arms, who announced last October that he would not seek reappointment as dean.
