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College of Arts and Sciences

  • The Horseshoe at USC

Office of the Dean

The Office of the Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences leads the college through operating the budget and human resources offices, directing the use of the college's facilities, coordinating external relations and alumni relationships, and overseeing academic planning for the largest college at the University of South Carolina.

Deans

The College of Arts and Sciences leadership is divided among deans who oversee specific academic and administrative areas within the college.  Advancement and alumni relations, human resources and budget offices assist in the management and administration of the college.

Dean

Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Dean Samuels provides academic and administrative leadership to the largest college of the University of South Carolina. He provides oversight for strategic planning, curriculum development, instruction, budget, and policies and procedures.

View Dean Samuels' profile.

Academic Leadership Team

Senior Associate Dean for College Initiatives and Interdisciplinary Programs

Administrative/College-Wide Areas

Dr. Benitez-Nelson coordinates key initiatives within the college to advance the Dean’s priorities. She also coordinates several targeted fellowship programs within the college and is tasked with generating and implementing new initiatives designed to communicate the value of degrees in arts and sciences more effectively to a variety of audiences.

  • College Initiatives
    • Dean’s Initiatives Internal Grant Program
      • Book Manuscript Finalization Support Program
      • Faculty Research and Scholarship Grants
      • Faculty Small Equipment Purchase Grants
      • Faculty Travel Grants
    • Faculty Development Programs (New Faculty, Junior Faculty and Mid-Career Faculty programs)
      • Faculty Success Program: NCFDD Fellowship
    • Fellowship Programs
      • Bridge Humanities Fellowship Program
      • McCausland Foundation Programs
      • Theme Semester Program
Academic Unit Oversight and Management 

Dr. Benitez-Nelson is the academic liaison between the dean’s office and the units below.  Dr. Benitez-Nelson reviews all third-year, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review files for the academic units, as well as hiring requests, administrative annual reviews, sabbatical requests, academic program reviews and nominations for named professorships and faculty and student awards in interdisciplinary programs.

Units

  • African American Studies Program
  • Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology and Society
  • Cardiovascular Technology Program
  • Film and Media Studies
  • Humanities Collaborative
  • Jewish Studies
  • Linguistics
  • McKissick Museum (incl. Museum Management Program)
  • Neuroscience Program
  • Southern Studies, Institute for
  • Walker Institute of International and Area Studies
    • Cyber Intelligence
    • Global Studies
  • Women's and Gender Studies

View Dr. Benitez-Nelson's profile.

Assistant Dean for Research and Grants Operations

  • External proposal preparation, especially budget development
  • Proposal submission support for both internal (USC’s) and external (sponsors’) systems
  • Policy and procedure compliance support for researchers (rebudgeting, extensions, reporting requirements)
  • Budget reports for ongoing grants management
  • Grant closeouts with Grants and Fund Management Office
  • View Ms. Bridgman's profile.
WEBSITE: CAS Grants Operations

 

Vice Dean for Strategy and Engagement

Dr. Culbreath provides leadership and input to promote academic excellence and operational efficiency. Dr. Culbreath directs strategic planning and communication around issues related to optimizing institutional culture, reviews strategic hiring plans at the university and college-wide level, and implements programmatic policy and guidance to encourage engagement within the college and our broader off campus communities. 

View Dr. Culbreath profile

Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Administrative/College-Wide Areas

Dr. Friend oversees the college's Office of Undergraduate Studies at Flinn Hall and is responsible for representing the college in all matters related to undergraduate student services. Dr. Friend works closely with the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support, the University Advising Center and serves on a wide-range of committees. Dr. Friend also manages college-level curriculum development and review including academic program and course proposals, course enrollment management, and online course and program development. Dr. Friend also serves as the college liaison for degree program assessment and experiential learning initiatives.

  • Office of Undergraduate Studies at Flinn Hall
    • Academic services for undergraduate students including academic advising for all majors, major changes, senior checks, and graduation approvals
    • Experiential Learning and Beyond the Classroom services including study abroad program advice and approvals, career goals, internship opportunities, undergraduate research, and scholarships
  • Academic Year Schedule of Classes  
  • College Orientation and New Student Recruitment
  • Academic Unit program assessment planning and reporting
    • Liaison to OIRAA on assessment issues
  • CAS representative on Assessment Advisory Committee
  • Program and course-level curricular development and approval
  • College-level enrollment planning and course schedule development
  • Faculty Credentialing
  • CAS Academic Program Liaison to the Provost Office
  • CAS Liaison for Carolina Core assessment

View Dr. Friend's profile.

Associate Dean for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Administrative/College-Wide Areas

Dr. Levine coordinates the Bilinski Dissertation Fellowship Program within the college.


Academic Unit Oversight and Management 

Dr. Levine is the academic liaison between the dean’s office and the units below. Dr. Levine reviews all third-year, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review files for these units, as well as hiring requests, administrative annual reviews, sabbatical requests, academic program reviews, and nominations for named professorships and faculty and student awards in the arts and humanities.

Units

  • Anthropology
  • Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Geography
  • History
  • Languages, Literatures & Cultures
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Religious Studies
  • Sociology
  • Theatre & Dance
  • Visual Art & Design, School of

View Dr. Levine's profile.

Assistant Dean and Chief Financial and Operations Officer

  • Serves as the college’s chief financial officer. Responsible for budget development and short and long-range planning
  • Provides oversight for the college’s human resources and faculty affairs office
  • Serves as the college’s chief operating officer overseeing the areas of information technology and facilities. 

WEBSITE:  CAS Budget and Finance

 

Interim Associate Dean for Natural Sciences

Academic Unit Oversight and Management  

Dr. Dahlman is the academic liaison between the dean’s office and the academic units below.  Dr. Dahlman reviews all third-year, tenure, promotion, and post-tenure review files for these units, as well as hiring requests, administrative annual reviews, sabbatical requests, academic program reviews, and nominations for named professorships and faculty and student awards in the sciences. 

Units

  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Earth, Ocean and Environment, School of
  • English Language and Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Statistics
  • Physics & Astronomy
  • Psychology

Centers and Institutes

  • Geographic Education, Center for
  • Science Education, Center for

View Dr. Dahlman's profile.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Administrative/College-Wide Areas

Dr. Twiss oversees all graduate directors within the college, college grants administration, college outside professional activities, and annual CAS SmartState reports. Dr. Twiss serves as the liaison for the USC Office of Research, the College Institutional Review Board, and CAS departments in regard to budget-related matters, the CAS undergraduate computing and research operation, the college machine shop and the college electron microscopy facility.

  • Graduate Education
    • Liaison with all Graduate Directors and to The Graduate School
  • Dean’s Initiatives Internal Grant Program
    • Graduate Assistantship Enhancement Program
    • Undergraduate Research Enhancement Program (UREP)
  • External Grants Administration
  • Liaison to USC Office of Research and USC IRB
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Research Facilities
    • Center for Elemental Mass Spectrometry
    • Electron Microscopy Center
    • Magnetic Measurement Facility
    • Mass Spectrometry Facility
    • Mechanical Prototype Facility
    • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
    • Powder X-Ray Diffraction Facility
    • Single Crystal X-Ray Diffraction Facility
Academic Unit Oversight and Management 

Dr. Twiss is the academic liaison between the dean’s office and the units below.

Centers and Institutes

  • Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine & Coastal Sciences
  • Colon Cancer Prevention Network
  • GIS and Remote Sensing
  • Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute
  • Institute for Mind and Brain
  • McCausland Center for Brain Imaging
  • SC Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology

View Dr. Twiss' profile.

Lead Senior Director of Advancement 
  • Alumni Relations
  • Donor Stewardship
  • Community Engagement
  • Special Events and Initiatives for the College


Website 

View Mr. Shook's Profile

Interim Assistant Dean for Curriculum
Director of Data Analytics

The College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Management and Data Analytics team provides support for academic unit program assessment, planning, and reporting. Oversees faculty credentialing, instruction and curriculum development, distributed learning and enrollment management. 


WEBSITE: CAS Curricular Management and Data Analytics

Directors of Administrative Areas (Senior Staff)

Assistant Dean for Research and Grants Operations

  • External proposal preparation, especially budget development
  • Proposal submission support for both internal (USC’s) and external (sponsors’) systems
  • Policy and procedure compliance support for researchers (rebudgeting, extensions, reporting requirements)
  • Budget reports for ongoing grants management
  • Grant closeouts with Grants and Fund Management Office
  • View Ms. Bridgman's profile.
WEBSITE: CAS Grants Operations

Director of Space and Facilities Operations

  • Maintenance of buildings and associated service requests 
  • Monitoring, tracking and representing CAS units during construction and renovations projects 
  • College space utilization 
  • Security procedures including all key and Carolina Card access control 
  • Matters related to the safety of employees, students and visitors 
  • Emergency preparedness and notifications 
  • Communication of applicable facilities information to unit Building Coordinators and within the Dean’s Office
  • View Mr. Doty's profile.
WEBSITE: CAS Space and Facilities Operations

Director of Communications

  • External-facing public relations and marketing (news, press releases, interview requests, social media, feature stories)
  • College websites including internal and unit sub-sites (departments, programs, centers, and institutes)
  • CAS directory changes and profile page updates
  • College Newsletters (alumni, students, and faculty/staff)
  • View Mr. Gentry's profile.
WEBSITE: CAS Advancement

Director of Budget and Finance

  • Fiscal and budget affairs for unrestricted funds of all college units
  • Unit compliance with budget-related policies and procedures
  • Unit- and college-level budget development
WEBSITE:  CAS Budget and Finance
Assistant Dean and Chief Financial and Operations Officer

  • Serves as the college’s chief financial officer. Responsible for budget development and short and long-range planning
  • Provides oversight for the college’s human resources and faculty affairs office
  • Serves as the college’s chief operating officer overseeing the areas of information technology and facilities. 

WEBSITE:  CAS Budget and Finance

Director of Information Technology Services

  • Technical support services for instructional and administrative needs in CAS
  • Coordination with dean, chairs, and directors to assess IT needs
  • Advisor for hardware and software planning and acquisition
  • Security compliance liaison
  • College IT policies and procedures 
  • IT liaison for university-level advisory and oversight committees
  • View Mr. Mullaney's profile.
WEBSITE:  CAS Information Technology Services

Director of External Relations

  • Alumni Relations
  • Donor Stewardship
  • Community Engagement
  • Special Events and Initiatives for the College
  • View Ms.Plott's profile.
WEBSITE: CAS Advancement

Director of Human Resources and Faculty Affairs

  • Human Resources actions and processes for all college staff, faculty and students
  • Recruitment, hiring and appointment procedures
  • Faculty review and promotion processes including tenure review
  • Leaves of absence, emeritus appointments, administrative appointments
  • Faculty awards, endowed chairs and professorships
  • College-level compliance with federal, state and university labor laws
  • Employee Relations support for CAS faculty and staff
  • View Ms. Robinson's profile.
WEBSITE:  CAS Human Resources and Faculty Affairs
Lead Senior Director of Advancement
  • Oversee advancement operations and external relations strategies, with the goal of developing a fundraising portfolio to support the programs of the College of Arts and Sciences. 
  • In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President and Dean, create and implement an annual plan for fundraising, campaign, stewardship and programmatic goals, among other priorities. Cultivate major gifts and build relationships with prospective major donors. 
  • Manage a team of development and external relations professionals. Foster an environment conducive to high performance by maintaining clear monthly goals and providing mentorship. 
  • Collaborate with departments and teams in the Dean’s office, including External Relations, the Senior Associate Vice President, area coordinators and directors, faculty, alumni and volunteers for fundraising and development efforts. Partner with and gain insights from initiatives including Gift Planning, Annual Giving, Principal Gift, and Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy. 
University of South Carolina job listing

Prospectus and application available through Aspen Leadership Group

WEBSITE: CAS Advancement

Dean's Office Administration

Executive Assistant to the Dean and Office Manager

  • Assistant to the Dean (appointments, travel, correspondence)
  • Office Manager for the Dean's Office
  • College-wide administrative communications (incl. Dean's Office CASDEAN and CASPROG email accounts)
  • Chair/Director appointment and review
    • Annual evaluations (Comprehensive, Annual and Standard)
    • Chair/Director search process
  • Collaboration with advancement and alumni relations
  • Meeting scheduling and coordination
    • CAS Chair/Director meetings
    • CAS Faculty meetings
    • Dean’s Advisory Committee
    • Academic Planning and Curriculum Group

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