James Goldgeier is stepping down from his position as dean of the School of International Service, according to a community-wide memo sent by Provost Scott Bass on June 21.
“Today, SIS is recognized as a powerhouse of both teaching and research in Washington, DC, much to the credit of the SIS community, previous leadership, and Dean Goldgeier,” Bass wrote in the memo.
Goldgeier took over as dean in August 2011, following his employment at George Washington University as a professor of political science and international affairs.
This year marked his sixth year as dean. On August 9, he will join the School of International Service faculty as a professor of international relations, the memo said.
One of Goldgeier’s goals in his position was to increase “the visibility of the school, the faculty [and] the students,” according to an article published by AU Media Relations in 2011.
“I want to make sure that the students are connected with the broader community in the fields that we cover,” Goldgeier said in the article. “And that not only do we get our people out into the community, especially into downtown, but also that we bring downtown here.”
During Goldgeier’s time as dean, the School of International Service’s undergraduate program rose to ninth place in the national ranking of international relations programs, according to the memo.
In addition, a staple of his administration included faculty mentoring. Goldgeier advocated for the engagement of faculty across all backgrounds and fields and created an advisory council for diversity and inclusion.
SIS Professor Christine BN Chin will take over as interim dean August 9. Chin was the recipient of the 2010 Outstanding Teaching in a Full-Time Appointment Award, according to her faculty profile.
Chin and Goldgeier were out of office and unable to provide comment prior to publication.
