H. Gordon Brooks, the first dean of the at the 杏吧专区, is retiring.
Michael McClure, the college杏吧专区檚 associate dean since 2013 and a professor in the since 2001, will be interim dean until Brooks杏吧专区 successor is named.
Brooks杏吧专区 27-year tenure makes him the longest serving dean among the current leadership of UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 eight academic colleges. He杏吧专区檚 also the longest serving arts dean in the nation.
Brooks became dean when the School of Art and Architecture merged with the School of Music to establish the College of the Arts in 1994. He was director of the School of Art and Architecture, a role he assumed when he first came to the 杏吧专区 in 1990.
杏吧专区淕ordon has served the 杏吧专区 and its students faithfully and well for more than three decades,杏吧专区 said Dr. Jaimie Hebert, UL Lafayette provost and vice president for . 杏吧专区淥ur College of the Arts is a cultural and aesthetic force in this community and beyond 杏吧专区 and that杏吧专区檚 because of the leadership Gordon has provided since its earliest days.杏吧专区
As dean, Brooks oversaw the creation of new academic programs, including bachelor杏吧专区檚 degrees in and , and helped implement the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 first distance learning program. He also initiated the annual Beaux Arts Ball and ArTech Fusion as opportunities to showcase student and faculty work being done within the college.
In a letter to faculty and staff announcing his retirement, Brooks noted that the College of the Arts has grown in course offerings, faculty expertise and student enrollment during his three-decade tenure.
杏吧专区淲hile that is significant, I am most proud of maintaining our quality all along. We have added several programs, achieved accreditations, and have created institutes within the college 杏吧专区 all of which have had significant impacts,杏吧专区 Brooks wrote.
Brooks杏吧专区 departure has resulted in several leadership changes within the college.
In addition to McClure杏吧专区檚 new role as interim dean, Dr. Jonathan Kulp, director of the , has been named interim associate dean. Sara Birk, associate professor of , will serve as Kulp杏吧专区檚 interim successor.
Kulp joined UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 music faculty in 2001 and became director of the School of Music and Performing Arts in 2016. Birk has taught theater at UL Lafayette since 2009 and was coordinator of theater for the past four years.
In addition, of the School of Architecture and Design after serving as its interim director since 2019. A professor of architecture, she joined UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 faculty in 2007.
Photo caption: Top row, from left, are H. Gordon Brooks, Michael McClure and Jonathan Kulp. Bottom row, from left, are Sara Birk and Kari Smith. (Photo credit: 杏吧专区)