CAS CONNECT 2016

 You are in your fifth year as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at OSU. What have you most enjoyed? A Without a doubt, witness- ing the experiences and successes of students, faculty and staff is the most enjoyable part of being dean. Each day, I learn new stories that involve the amazing people of this college; it makes each and every day as dean rewarding.  In January, you partici- pated in a tandem skydive with the Army’s Golden Knights. Describe that experience. A It was an absolute thrill! I was partnered with Sgt. 1st Class Noah Watts. He had over 4,000 jumps behind him, and he was funny and good-natured (the number of jumps being his most important quality, of course!). I was apprehen- sive through training and getting onto the plane — but from the moment I jumped, the nervousness vanished and the 60-second free fall was incredible. It was below freezing, but I never noticed the cold! I appre- ciate the opportunity to work with our ROTC cadre and future officers here at Oklahoma State!  The Council of College of Arts & Sciences (CCAS) elected you to serve as one of 12 deans on its board of directors. How does CCAS enhance arts and sciences higher education across the country? A CCAS is comprised of deans of arts & sciences across the country, with over 700 members. Deans discuss what worked — and did not work — with administrative initiatives at their institutions, from student success to new academic programs to fundraising. Beyond a traditional conference, there are roundtable discussions of how to implement high-impact practices. You become networked to deans who can help you solve problems on your campus; it is reassuring to know that you are not facing these problems alone.  What is your ideal way to unwind after a long day of leading 24 academic departments in the larg- est college at OSU? A When it is not too hot, I unwind by going for a long run with my wife, Kay. Yes, running for me is relaxing! Another would be play- ing board games with my family (e.g. 7 Wonders, Carcassonne, “penny” poker); the laughter from those games is a great tonic!  In what ways do you hope to see A&S grow in the coming years? A Oklahoma State has asked the colleges to focus efforts on student success over the past few years. I’ve been proud to see the outcome in this college; our majors have had increased retention each year since 2012. Additionally, all majors at Oklahoma State rely on courses offered through Arts & Sciences, and our departments have really stepped up to enhance student success across the university. A great example would be the Success in Undergraduate Mathematics initia- tive and its associated Mathematics Learning Success Center; our students are thriving in their mathe- matics courses, and we have become a national model for best practices in helping students learn math. I would love to see our success with students continue to grow; every student we help graduate is one more student who will have a successful career and help boost the state and national economies. From the Dean … E d i t o r ’ s N o t e : We t h o u g h t a q u i c k Q& A s e s s i o n w i t h D e a n B r e t D a n i l o w i c z w o u l d b e a n e x c e l l e n t w a y t o k i c k o f f t h i s y e a r ’ s A & S ma g a z i n e . E n j o y !