New Dean at the School of Arts and Sciences

New Dean at the School of Arts and Sciences Peter March

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Before coming to Rutgers in July, Peter March served as the divisional dean of natural and mathematical sciences at Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences for four years.

Photography: 
Nick Romanenko

The School of Arts and Sciences, the largest academic unit at Rutgers, has a new executive dean. In July, Peter March arrived from The Ohio State University where he was an academic administrator for 16 years. A mathematician by training who is a specialist in probability theory, he chaired the Ohio State Department of Mathematics from 1988 until 2006, directed the division of mathematical sciences at the National Science Foundation from 2006 to 2010, and, most recently, served as divisional dean of natural and mathematical sciences in Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences for four years. 

“The strength of the School of Arts and Sciences lies in its people: dedicated staff, ardent alums, and, at the center of it all, a dynamic interchange of ideas between faculty and students,” March says. “A world-class faculty, a diverse enthusiastic student body, and the integration of research and education are all key strengths of the school and Rutgers as a whole.

“I see the range and scope of the School of Arts and Sciences reflected throughout the new Rutgers strategic plan,” he continues. “I’m particularly pleased that fostering faculty excellence and transforming the student experience feature prominently in the plan because these are two of my top priorities as dean.”

Richard L. Edwards, executive vice president for academic affairs and chancellor of Rutgers University–New Brunswick, believes March is the right person at the right time. “Because of his experience as an educator, a dean, and an administrator at the National Science Foundation,” he says, “Peter March understands better than anyone how research is envisioned, carried through, and supported. Peter’s experience will be particularly valuable to Rutgers and the School of Arts and Sciences at this time of transition and growth. In addition, Peter’s deep understanding of the Big Ten® will make him better able to build strong partnerships with our new colleagues across the Committee on Institutional Cooperation,” the nation’s premier consortium of 15 top-tier research institutions from the Big Ten (plus the University of Chicago) that Rutgers joined in July 2013.

The School of Arts and Sciences has more than 20,000 students and approximately 800 faculty members, offering more than 70 majors and minors in the life sciences, the physical and mathematical sciences, the humanities, and the social and behavioral sciences.