Announcement: Interim Dean of Arts

Dr. Steve Patten has been appointed Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

close up of Old Arts Building, U of A

Dear colleagues,

Earlier this term, I announced that Dr. Lesley Cormack was departing the University of Alberta effective June 30, 2020 to take up the role of Principal and Vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus. I am now pleased to announce that Dr. Steve Patten has been appointed Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts for a two-year period, from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022. Many of you will have been aware that Dr. Patten was to have begun a term as Vice-dean on July 1, 2020.

Dr. Patten holds a PhD in Political Science from York University. He is a professor in the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts with research interests in contemporary politics in Canada and Alberta, the changing nature of partisan politics, and public policy and governance. Since 2016, he has been the Associate dean (Research) for the Faculty of Arts. In that role, he has been instrumental in the establishment of the Faculty’s Signature Areas of Research and Creative Collaboration and supporting Arts-based researchers and Centres and Institutes as they advance their research agendas, secure funding, and receive well-deserved awards and recognitions.

I have appointed Dr. Patten to a two-year interim term in order to allow consistency of leadership while the Faculty and the University navigate our new budget reality.

Dr. Patten has been a member of a high performing executive team, including outgoing Dean Lesley Cormack and Vice-Dean Michael O’Driscoll. I would like to thank both of them as Lesley moves to her new position at UBC Okanagan and as Michael moves into his role as Convenor of Congress 2021.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Patten to this new role.

Steven Dew
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)