"Go West, Young Man, …"
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Horace Greely, founder of the Liberal Republican Party and editor of the New York Tribune, the most influential newspaper of its day, is well-known for his statement: "Go west, young man, and grow up with the country." Though I may be stretching it a bit to put myself in the category of "young man," I have taken Mr. Greeley's advice to heart, as I bid farewell to SIUE in July to become the new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon.
For the past seven years, I have been privileged to serve as the Dean of the SIUE College of Arts and Sciences. Though the expression is often overused, it truly has been a journey for me and for the College. Working together with the Chairs and Directors of our nineteen departments and programs, the Dean's Administrative staff as well as the faculty and staff across the College, we have worked as a team to deal with the challenges of diminishing state support in the face of growing enrollment, the need to recruit and retain high caliber faculty, and equipping our facilities to maintain the highest quality educational experience possible for our students. As with any journey, there have been a few "bumps" along the way, but this stop has offered me many more valuable opportunities to grow, both personally and professionally. Most of all, my time at the University has provided me with many wonderful traveling companions on campus and in the community, who have enriched my life in innumerable ways.
The College has a unique role to play at SIUE because a liberal education is the heart of every University. As I continue on my personal journey, I leave the College in the capable hands of our dedicated Deans, Chairs, Directors, Faculty and Staff under the guidance of Dr. John Danley, who will become the Interim Dean of the College upon my departure. I feel confident that the College will continue to map out a course of academic excellence and innovation that has been the case since its inception in 1995.
Thank you to all of the CAS alumni who have supported the College during my tenure at SIUE. You have made me feel a part of the College of Arts and Sciences family. There will always be a very special place in my heart for the alumni, faculty and staff of SIUE, who helped make this stop along my journey a truly positive experience.
Kent Neely
Dean
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