Case Western Reserve University President Eric W. Kaler and Provost Joy K. Ward announced today that Peter Whiting, interim vice president for student affairs, will become interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1. His appointment follows last week’s announcement that the college’s interim dean, Lee Thompson, will become the university’s deputy provost for academic strategic initiatives.
“Peter has done an exceptional job leading the Division of Student Affairs this past year, especially as we implemented a new approach to student advising and support under the division,” President Kaler said. “I am confident he will apply the same thoughtful decision-making and strong leadership at the helm of the college.”
For Whiting, the interim deanship marks a homecoming of sorts—returning to the College of Arts and Sciences, where he’s been a faculty member since 1991, after a year in a central administrative role. In more than 30 years at the university, Whiting, a professor of geological and hydrological sciences, has risen through the professorial ranks and held a variety of leadership roles, including director of the SAGES program, vice chair of the University Undergraduate Faculty and associate dean of the college.
“I’ve been fortunate to work closely with Peter throughout my time at Case Western Reserve—first as dean of the college and now as provost—and I’ve found his insights and leadership to be important contributions to the university,” Provost Ward said. “The college’s faculty, staff and students are gaining an incredible champion with this appointment.”
Provost Ward and Whiting especially collaborated on implementing the restructuring of the Division of Student Affairs to encourage more effective advising and student supports to enhance retention and student success.
Throughout his time as interim vice president for student affairs, Whiting has gained valuable leadership opportunities that helped him “understand how important it is to listen and to consult with others who are experts in their areas,” he said. “With this new opportunity, I will reinforce my innate propensity to be consultative and to make sure those who I’m leading understand how much I respect their work, their insights and their contributions toward improving the college and, in turn, the university.”
Whiting’s key priorities center on two core university initiatives: making progress on the Faculty 100 hiring plan and preparing for the college’s place in the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building.
Overall, though, “My goals are to build on the momentum Lee—and Joy before her—have set,” Whiting said. “The college is doing quite well, and I intend to lean into that. I look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with my colleagues to keep that momentum going.”
The national search for the college’s dean is expected to be complete by January 2025.