LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Longtime University of Louisville faculty member Beth Boehm is the new dean of the School of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies (SIGS). The university’s board of trustees approved her appointment at its Nov. 8 meeting.
Boehm has served as SIGS’ interim dean since September 2009 and is the first permanent dean of the unit, which was created in 2008 to replace the Graduate School.
“Beth will bring a great vision for graduate education that she has developed both from her two years as interim dean at SIGS and from many years working as graduate adviser in the English department,” said Provost Shirley Willihnganz. “She is a strong advocate of students and student well-being and she is a consensus leader.”
SIGS’ focus is advocacy for graduate students and interdisciplinary programs. The school is the home unit for students enrolled in the interdisciplinary studies doctoral program but also serves graduate students in other units.
Boehm’s vision includes collaborating with UofL centers and institutes to develop additional graduate-level academic programs, improving doctoral retention rates and shortening the timeline for degree completion.
In other business at the trustee meeting, board members were given a summary of the president’s fall 2012 outreach initiative. President James Ramsey and other administrators visited 15 high schools across the commonwealth to recruit students and build awareness about the university’s key programs.