Ron Sudol, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oakland University, announced his retirement on July 3. He will step down as dean on Aug 14.

Sudol said he will not fully retire until next year, however he will still be on campus but not as part of the faculty.

“I felt that I had been out of (retirement) long enough, it didn’t make sense to go back to it,” he said.

After retiring, along with traveling the world, he plans to write a book about higher education.

Using research and his experiences as a dean, he hopes to finish the book within a year.

“I think I’ve got more and more interested in writing this book as I’ve been thinking about it and that has a lot to do with (retiring),” Sudol said.

Sudol has been the CAS dean for seven years and has been active in both OU’s faculty and administration since 1977.

“Dean Sudol has served Oakland University for many years in key faculty and administrative roles,” Susan Awbrey, interim provost, said. “His deep commitment to strengthening academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences has had a positive impact on students and faculty.  He made a significant difference during his many years at Oakland.”

A celebration in honor of Sudol will take place in August. According to Stephanie Lee, administrative associate to the Provost, the date is yet to be determined.

Among many of his accomplishments at OU, Sudol is most proud of the department of writing and rhetoric, inaugurating the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Engagement Award in 2011.

“Oakland is aspirational, he said.” It has the good fortune to have started out as a branch of Michigan State University, making itself attractive by bringing in a faculty who is interested in doing something different.”

The CAS is the largest college at OU, offering more than 75 majors and 16 departments. The Board of Trustees approved four more degree programs for the college on March 28 — a master’s and Ph.D. in psychology and bachelor’s programs in both graphic design and criminal justice — all of which will be available for the 2012-13 school year.

Discussion for the process of selecting an interim or acting dean with the

has already begun.

Applications will be accepted through July 23. For more details on how to apply and to learn more about the job description, visit Oakland’s academic jobs website www.academicjobs.oakland.edu.

 

Contact Campus Editor Stephanie Preweda via email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @stephsocool