Antczak to step down as dean of CLAS in 2020

Grand Valley State University's Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fred Antczak announced that the coming academic year will be his last as dean. He will return to the faculty next summer. 

In sharing his decision with colleagues, Antczak explained, "What I have always seen for myself was a few years at career's end to do what called me to this vocation in the first place: to reflect, read and teach, and maybe to write, on the off chance I think of something worth saying. I have always understood myself as having fundamentally the vocation of a teacher."

He noted that after 28 years in administration and 16 years as dean of CLAS at Grand Valley, midsummer 2020 is the moment he wants to make a "graceful transition."

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Maria Cimitile noted Antczak's "wisdom, insight, creativity, quick wit and enviable rhetorical flourishes," and had an extensive list of the dean's accomplishments. He was the founding dean of CLAS after three divisions consolidated. She credits him with establishing a cohesive college with a high-functioning governance structure.

"Dean Antczak's chief accomplishments include encouraging high levels of engagement by the college's faculty and staff in all aspects of university life; modeling a student-centered rationale for strategic planning and decision-making; and advocating for the facilities, staffing, and other resources needed to ensure excellent teaching and learning across the disciplines. His dedication to transparency, efficiency and consistency have led to the establishment of policies and processes that were adopted university-wide."

Cimitile said she is grateful the university has a year to search for Antczak's replacement, and a nation-wide search will begin in the fall semester.