W. Andrew Marcus has been named Donald and Willie Tykeson Dean of the UO College of Arts and Sciences.
Marcus has served as interim dean since 2013 and “knows both the amazing opportunity and daily challenges of the University of Oregon’s largest college,” according to a memo from Scott Coltrane, provost and senior vice president. “That firsthand knowledge and a 15-year UO career that has been defined by incredible dedication, committed leadership and an unflappable passion for his college make him a clear choice to serve in the role on a permanent basis.”
Marcus said he’s grateful for the chance to continue the work the college has already begun.
“The opportunity to serve in this role during a time of transition was a great honor and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve permanently,” Marcus said. “This college is the backbone of a great university, and together we will continue to do amazing work that benefits our students, our university and our world.”
Coltrane praised Marcus’ vision and collegiality. And he said dropping the “interim” from his title will let Marcus continue to work toward a stronger future for one of the UO’s key academic units.
“Andrew has earned the respect of faculty, staff and UO leadership by always maintaining an optimistic eye on the future,” Coltrane wrote. “Perhaps most visibly, he has been the driving force to conceptualize the Tykeson Hall College and Careers Building and will now continue that work to make it a reality.”
Coltrane noted that Marcus is “a tireless advocate for his faculty and staff; he leads by example, as demonstrated by his significant reorganization of the dean’s office to optimize its efficiency in the face of budgetary challenges.”
Marcus maintains an active research program, focusing on human impacts on rivers and the use of remote sensing technology to map and understand rivers. Most recently he served as lead editor of the award winning Atlas of Yellowstone. He also served as head of the Department of Geography from 2008 to 2011, associate dean for social sciences from 2011 to 2013 and president of the UO Senate in 2004-05.
A 1978 graduate of Stanford University, Marcus went on to earn his master of arts in geography from Arizona State University in 1983 and his doctorate in geography from the University of Colorado in 1987.
—By Tobin Klinger, University Communications