As a new semester begins, four new faculty members are settling in after being appointed to the University late in 2006. Louis Martin-Vega, Terri T. Lomax, Robert Brown and Toby Parcel are the new deans of the College of Engineering, Graduate School, College of Natural Resources and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, respectively.
The Technician interviewed the four new deans recently about their new positions and asked them each five questions.
Louis Martin-VegaDean of the College of Engineering
Technician: Why did you want to be dean?
Martin-Vega: Being dean is a wonderful opportunity to help facilitate the growth and development of what is already a great college.
Technician: What are some changes you would like to make to the college?
Martin-Vega: We want to promote much greater involvement across the disciplines. We also want to involve many more undergraduates in our research opportunities.
Technician: What are some less-than-desirable conditions you inherited from your predecessor?
Martin-Vega: Seriously, I really can’t complain at all. Centennial Campus is wonderful and that was a nice thing to come into. I view most of what was done as positive.
Technician: What’s the single-most important thing a Dean does?
Martin-Vega: Leads and serves. A dean tries to help facilitate success of faculty, students and staff.
Technician: Where will you be in 10 years?
Martin-Vega: Hopefully I’ll be here enjoying seeing efforts bear fruition.
Terri LomaxDean of the Graduate School
Technician: Why did you want to be dean?
Lomax:It gives me an opportunity to pursue a passion, and a chance to try to make the college as good as it can be.
Technician: What are some changes you would like to make to the college?
Lomax:I’d like to streamline the processes that make it easier to increase funding and professional development.
Technician: What are some less-than-desirable conditions you inherited from your predecessor?
Lomax:There really aren’t any. I’m surrounded by a really great staff and a really great college.
Technician: What’s the single-most important thing a Dean does?
Lomax:Provide strategic leadership. A dean should take a big look at the college and know where we are and where we should go.
Technician: Where will you be in 10 years?
Lomax:I’d like to see a lot more graduate students at N.C. State. That’s exactly what I set out to do, and that’s exactly where we’ll be.
Robert BrownDean of the College of Natural Resources
Technician: Why did you want to be dean?
Brown:I think everyone in the field of natural resources wants the greatest impact and in the academic arena it allows me to do that.
Technician: What are some changes you would like to make to the college?
Brown:We are going through the compact planning process right now. I’d also like to see GIS implementations improve along with geography. We’d like to improve biofuel capabilities, expand undergraduate research opportunities, improve distance education and expand our extension education presence.
Technician: What are some less-than-desirable conditions you inherited from your predecessor?
Brown:I have to be careful here, the predecessor is now the provost (laughter). Our infrastructure and equipment is inadequate. The quality of research labs and greenhouses is limited. We just need more space.
Technician: What’s the single-most important thing a Dean does?
Brown:Provide a vision for the college as to the direction it goes. A dean is much like a coach.
Technician: Where will you be in 10 years?
Brown:Either being part of the top college of natural resources or being tied for first.
Toby ParcelDean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Technician: Why did you want to be dean?
Parcel:My dad was a graduate of North Carolina State University and my mother from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1941 and 1942, respectively. My presence at N.C. State is really about honoring those traditions and at the same time ensuring the quality of education here is at the level it needs to be.
Technician: What are some changes you would like to make to the college?
Parcel:The greatest change the college has to make is the amount of funding it receives from the state. We’d like to work on acquiring a larger funding base from it.
Technician: What are some less-than-desirable conditions you inherited from your predecessor?
Parcel:The funding the college receives is not adequate to support both the research and instructional missions this college makes for itself.
Technician: What’s the single-most important thing a Dean does?
Parcel:A dean is responsible for ensuring that prospective staff for the college is going to help increase and enhance the education of each student. A dean also makes decisions about the future to make sure the college is constantly pushing the boundaries of its potential.
Technician: Where will you be in 10 years?
Parcel:The college will solve the financial inadequacies mentioned earlier. That will help tremendously with things. In addition, I look at the positive level of academic achievement the college will be at in 10 years unlike anything it has seen in the past.
