Provost Martha Pollack has named an advisory committee to search for a new dean of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. The search process already has begun.

Jason Corey, associate professor and chair of the Department of Performing Arts Technology, SMTD, is chairing the committee, which has been charged with conducting a broad search and presenting a slate of recommended candidates during winter term 2015.

In an April 10 email to faculty and staff at the school, Pollack wrote that Dean Christopher Kendall would step down June 30, 2015, after a decade of service.

Additional members of the search committee include:

• Matthew Browne, doctoral student, Department of Composition, SMTD.

• Christi-Anne Castro, associate professor of musicology, SMTD.

• Evan Chambers, professor and chair of the Department of Composition, SMTD.

• Clare Croft, assistant professor of dance, SMTD.

• Nancy Ambrose King, professor of oboe, SMTD.

• Laura Lein, Katherine Reebel Collegiate Professor of Social Work, dean and professor of social work, School of Social Work; and professor of anthropology, LSA.

• Vincent Mountain, professor of theatre, SMTD.

• Eugene Rogers, associate director of choirs and assistant professor of conducting, SMTD.

• Ellen Rowe, professor and chair of the Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation, SMTD.

• Judy Dow Rumelhart, alumna and honorary chair of the SMTD Campaign Advisory Committee.

• Maureen Schafer, director of development and external relations, SMTD.

In her April email, Pollack praised Kendall, noting that he “effectively prioritized the balance between performance and scholarship with respect for both tradition and innovation, and successfully guided the school through a difficult financial period.

“He cares deeply about our students and the quality of education they receive from a performing arts school nested within a large research university. He has hired outstanding faculty, has been instrumental in establishing important initiatives such as the U-M Gershwin critical edition project and the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti El Sistema program, has re-instituted major ensemble and international touring and encouraged the development of chamber music, has secured the funding and led the design process for the expansion and renovation of the Moore building, and has successfully launched an ambitious fundraising campaign focused on building scholarship resources for SMTD students.”

To recommend candidates or ask questions of the committee chair, send an email to smtd-dsac-chair@umich.edu. For more information about the school, go to music.umich.edu.

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• School of Music
• Theatre & Dance