FAS Governance
About the Dean of Faculty of A&S
The Dean of Faculty of Arts & Sciences (FAS) provides leadership in promoting excellence in the A&S faculty, supporting their work as teachers and scholars. The Dean of Faculty has administrative responsibility for all matters of faculty status in A&S, such as the hiring, tenure, promotion, and retention of faculty. The Dean of FAS supports A&S governance functions by chairing the A&S Council and works closely with A&S department chairs and programs directors in the management of their budgets and personnel processes. Additionally, the Dean works collaboratively with the other A&S deans and the A&S Council Executive Committee to enhance curricular and programmatic initiatives across the A&S schools and colleges.
Meet Interim Dean of FAS, Robert Hume, Ph.D.
Robert J. Hume, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Political Science, came to Fordham in 2005. Before joining the Office of the Dean, Dr. Hume served the Political Science department as both Chair (2015-2021) and Associate Chair (2011-2015), and also chaired the A&S Core Curriculum Committee for five years (2013-2018). More recently, Dr. Hume co-chaired the Core Curriculum Revision Pre-Planning Advisory Board and played a key role in the Transfer Student Task Force and the Working Group on Reimagining the Function and Structure of Arts and Sciences at Fordham.
Hume earned degrees from the College of the Holy Cross (B.A., History) and the University of Virginia (M.A., Ph.D., Politics). An expert on law and policy, Dr. Hume is the author of numerous articles as well as four books:
Ethics and Accountability on the U.S. Supreme Court: An Analysis of Recusal Practices (SUNY Press 2017). He is also the author of the textbook , and Judicial Behavior and Policymaking: An Introduction (Rowman & Littlefield 2018).
The Office of the Dean FAS
The Office of the Dean of FAS provides dedicated support to A&S departments and programs, promoting the work of the faculty, enhancing the quality of pedagogy, and assisting the management of personnel and budget processes. Explore below how each member of the FAS team contributes to the mission of the office:
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The Associate Dean of Faculty is a key member of the senior leadership team, with delegated oversight of non-tenure-line faculty personnel processes, such as the hiring, evaluation, and promotion of faculty. The Associate Dean supports key committees of the A&S Council, as well as the strategic goals and daily operations of the office.
The Senior Director of Budgets & Planning works closely with A&S departments and programs in support of their budgets and organizational planning, and also serves as a liaison with other offices, such as the Provost Office for Academic Financial Planning, Office of Finance, and Strategic Sourcing. Within the office, the Senior Director provides data analysis, strategic planning, budgeting, and financial management in support of key initiatives, including the faculty recruitment budget, academic travel, and dean-supported grants.
The Director of Communications & Events supports all aspects of communication that support the A&S community. This includes the creation of A&S Weekly and FAS Forward, the development of official correspondences, the management of the website, and the planning and execution of events. In addition, this position also serves as the Recording Secretary to the A&S Council, assists with strategic initiatives like the Core Revision, handles various items such as SEEQs (Student Evaluation of Educational Quality), and is a resource to faculty and multiple committees.
Jackie Gross
FAS Project Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the Dean
718-817-0586
The Project Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the Dean oversees the daily operations of the FAS office and plays a key role in managing major projects and deliverables on behalf of the dean. This role involves close collaboration with department chairs and the Office of Faculty Affairs to track personnel changes and coordinate the reappointment and promotion of tenure-track and tenured faculty. Additionally, the coordinator addresses faculty requests for office space and furniture, technology, and equipment, while also serving as the system administrator for MyTime.
The Executive Secretary provides administrative support to the FAS team and the daily operations of the FAS office. This includes handling incoming queries, managing the calendars of the dean and interim associate dean, and scheduling meetings for department chairs, program directors, and faculty. Additionally, provides logistical support for recurring projects and ad hoc requests.
A&S Council
The Arts and Sciences Council (the Council) is responsible for formulating recommendations on academic policies and coordinating their implementation within the Arts and Sciences Schools of Fordham University. These schools include Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Ignatius College. The Council concerns itself with policies affecting the core curriculum, departmental or interdisciplinary curricula matters, academic standards, procedures and regulations, and faculty deployment as they influence any or all of the Arts and Sciences Schools. The recommendations of the Council are transmitted to the Dean of the Arts and Sciences Faculty who will in turn transmit them to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Meetings occur approximately twice a semester, with additional sessions added for major initiatives such as core curriculum revision.
Learn about the Membership of the Council and its Committees:
Departments
Fordham University's Faculty of Arts & Sciences are organized into twenty academic departments, each led by a chair who is responsible for overseeing faculty matters within their respective areas. These chairs work collaboratively with the Office of the Dean of Faculty to support faculty research, pedagogical initiatives, and to promote overall academic excellence:
