From the President and Provost:
Extension of Marilyn Jordan Taylor’s Term as Dean of the School of Design |
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July 15, 2014, Volume 61, No. 01 |
We are very pleased to announce that Dean of the School of Design and Paley Professor Marilyn Jordan Taylor will accept extension of her appointment as Dean until June 30, 2016. Dean Taylor’s current term will end as of June 30, 2015, and she has agreed to remain as Dean for one additional year to advance the School’s continuing and emerging strategic priorities and to strengthen the leadership role of PennDesign in addressing the difficult challenges facing a growing and urbanizing world.
Since assuming the deanship in 2008, Dean Taylor has overseen 13% growth in the student body and expanded the standing faculty by 20%. Sponsored research has grown dramatically with grants from the United States Departments of Transportation; Energy; and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. The floors of Meyerson Hall are transforming into technology-based work spaces for studios and interdisciplinary study teams, with new 3-D tools. The distinction of the School and its commitment to creating innovative and positive change for global communities is spreading among colleagues, alumni and partner institutions and organizations around the world.
During her first six years, Dean Taylor has been a strategic and collaborative leader, working closely with us, her expanded faculty and her strengthened leadership team to advance the School’s mission. She has successfully enhanced PennDesign’s visibility and influence across the School’s exceptional range of programs, including Architecture, City and Regional Planning, Fine Arts, Historic Preservation and Landscape Architecture. New master’s degree programs in Environmental Building Design and Urban Spatial Analytics are strong contributors to the School’s broad, interdisciplinary reach. PennDesign is now positioned at the leading edge of advanced research and innovative thinking on issues of urbanization, urbanism, integrated planning and design, and intelligent systems of energy, water and transportation.
After consultation with the chairs of the School’s academic departments and in accordance with procedures set during previous decanal term extensions, we are pleased that Dean Taylor has agreed to extend her term for an additional 12 months. We are confident that, with her effective and inspirational leadership, the School of Design will continue to rise in academic and professional standing and will advance its role, and that of the University of Pennsylvania, in creating the research and design contributions that play a crucial role in shaping the world’s future.
—Amy Gutmann, President
—Vincent Price, Provost
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