Dean’s plan for College of Arts and Sciences

In her first three months as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Shaily Menon, Ph.D., has been immersing herself in campus life in order to better understand the campus community.

Something she already understands is the need to create a clear identity for CAS and to encourage collaboration between CAS and the Erivan K. Haub School of Business.

Menon has met with Joseph DiAngelo, dean of the Haub School, to find ways the Haub School and CAS can diminish the divisiveness between the two schools.

“My number one question for him, even when I was interviewing, was ‘I’m a very collaborative person, so I don’t see this as competition. I see it as collaboration. How can we work together?’” she said.

DiAngelo said he is looking forward to continuing working with Menon to see how the collaborations will provide students in both schools with new opportunities which may not have been possible before.

“In the future, new collaborations between science and our MBA programs, management and the Kinney Center and allowing CAS students to participate in our co-op program, only scratch the surface of new and interesting opportunities available for our students,” DiAngelo said.

Menon is aware of the stereotypes surrounding the CAS but said, these stereotypes can be diminished and that, in fact, a liberal arts education can significantly help students after graduation.

She visited the fall Career Fair to ask employers how they can benefit students in the CAS, and what kind of degree they are looking for in students. Only 20 percent of the employers at the career fair represented jobs in the arts and sciences.

“The majority by far said ‘no we’re not looking for any particular degree,’” Menon said. “‘Give us someone with drive, passion and those other skills: critical thinking, creative problem solving, working with teams, communication skills, verbal, written.’”

Menon has joined conversations about inclusion at the university. She has attended Office of Inclusion and Diversity (OID) -sponsored events such as “True Stories,” a panel discussion on LGBTQIA+ identities and how they intersect with the campus community.

Rachel Cox ’19, chair of Inclusion and Diversity for Student Senate, invited Menon to the discussion and was happy to see her there.

“It felt good knowing she took my invitation seriously and made the extra effort to come,” said Cox. “She’s already made her presence felt as an ally and a woman of color in the office, as well as to the student [organizations] and has been great at getting to know the students there genuinely.”

Additionally, Menon supports the university’s efforts to make campus more diverse. In 2012, 85.6 percent of the university was predominantly white. As of 2015, that number has decreased to 83 percent.

“We want to increase diversity of the student body and have them feel a sense of belonging,” she said. “It’s not enough to get people here if they feel like they don’t belong to the institution.”

Menon also is a firm believer in making connections with students as well as faculty. Among the numerous groups Menon has met with is Student Senate, where she was accompanied by DiAngelo.

Tyler Jackson ’18, a member of Student Senate, acknowledged both deans wanted to attend a Student Senate meeting.

“They’re the deans of the schools that cater to the student body,” Jackson said. “Them willing to sit down and speak with us [Student Senate] means they’re willing and interested to know what students are thinking based off of student leaders. I think it was helpful and hopefully they heard what we said and that they’ll continue to act on it.”

Menon said she would also like to look into broadening the locations of study abroad offering.

The most popular study abroad programs during the 2016-2017 academic year took place in Florence, Italy, Madrid, Spain, and Rome, Italy, according to Thomas Kesaris, Director of the Center for International Programs (CIP).

“It’s a great interest to me, not only because of my background, but also because of the relevance or the importance of that to be successful and be aware at a minimum to get out of our ethnocentric viewpoints,” she said.