Dotterer Resigns as Fulton School Dean

SALISBURY, MD--Dr.  Ron Dotterer, dean of the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts at Salisbury State University since 1993, has announced that he will resign from that position at the end of the current fiscal year (June 30, 2001).  

"I step down as Fulton School dean to go back to being the most honorable of all persons--a faculty member," he said.  "Any success I've had here has depended on the quality of the faculty in this school."  Dotterer, who earned his Ph.D., with honors, in English and comparative literature from Columbia University, will teach in the English Department. 

The third dean in the history of the Fulton School, Dotterer served during a critical time in its development: When liberal arts enrollments were declining nationwide, the Fulton School's grew--from 1,200 to 1,575.  In the past four years Fulton School majors increased by 21 percent, more than twice the University average (10 percent) for that same period.  The Fulton School now offers 43 percent of the University's credit hours and 34 percent of the University's degrees. Fulton faculty also grew from 87 to 106 for this coming September. 

"The Fulton School is our campus's largest and Ron has played a key role in shepherding its growth--particularly in the realm of cultural affairs," said SSU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach.  "Universitywide, the increasing prominence of undergraduate research for teaching and learning is earning SSU kudos throughout the University System of Maryland and well beyond.  For such national recognition our community owes Ron a genuine debt of gratitude." 

Dotterer is currently chair of the board of governors of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), the largest professional organization of its kind in the U.S. Under his leadership, SSU hosted NCUR '98, the first time this annual conference was held in Maryland and at a public comprehensive university anywhere.  NCUR '98  is still the largest academic conference in the history of SSU with 2,200 students and faculty mentors from 450 colleges and universities attending. 

He has also been a national leader in the movement to reform teacher education with the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences and in honors education with the National Collegiate Honors Council.  

During his tenure as dean, the Fulton School also established several firsts in strategic planning, majors, coursework and student achievement.  They included:

            --two new B.A.s: one in theatre and the other in conflict analysis and dispute resolution; two new M.A.s: one in English as a second language and the other in history.

--the first minors in environmental studies, women=s studies/gender studies, music, business and professional writing (English), ethnic studies, and a restored social science minor.

--new tracks in art, communications, English, French, Spanish, music, philosophy, political science and psychology.

--the first Maryland Summer Center for the Arts in the visual and performing arts for gifted and talented middle and high school students.

--the first service learning courses as well as new study abroad programs on three continents.

--bringing together 28 disparate campus organizations  seeking to integrate programming as chair of the first University Cultural Affairs Council.

In the last six years, Fulton School students have had a 96 percent acceptance rate into graduate and professional schools, and a 100 percent acceptance rate in 1996.  

Grants received during his tenure include two major U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education grants--approaching $2 million; Grayce B. Kerr Fund to support the creation of the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (PACE)--$250,000; the Bobbi Biron Theatre Endowment--$500,000; and Maryland State Department of Education grants for the Summer Center for the Arts at Salisbury--$1.637 million total, among others.

According to Provost Don Cathcart, "I want to underscore President Dudley-Eshbach's remarks about the role Ron has played in achieving national recognition for our campus's efforts in the field of undergraduate research. Perhaps not as well known but certainly significant to the growth of campus shared governance is his role and input into the redesigning of the University Forum.  He has also been the voice of conscience on the Cabinet for improving benefits for contingent faculty and staff." 

Cathcart said an interim dean will be named this spring.  The search for a new dean will begin this fall.