School of Art Director Candidates to Visit U of A, Give Public Presentations

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The Fine Arts Center building, home of the School of Art at University of Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Four finalist candidates for the position of director of the University of Arkansas School of Art will visit campus in March and April for interviews and public presentations.

The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

• Elizabeth “Cassie” Mansfield, senior program officer at the Getty Foundation

• Jack Risley, chair of art and art history at the University of Texas at Austin

• James Rolling, chair and professor of art education at Syracuse University

• Andrew Schulz, associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Architecture at Pennsylvania State University.

The Director Search Committee, chaired by Lynda L. Coon, dean of the Honors College, identified the finalists. More information about each candidate, including their curricula vitae, is available online at the School of Art Director Search page.

PUBLIC PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

Each open forum presentation, titled “Visionary Arts Leadership in the 21st Century” will be held in Gearhart Hall room 258, the second-floor study lounge of the Honors College.

Each 30-minute presentation will be followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session. A meet and greet community reception with each candidate will also be hosted by the Honors College in Gearhart Hall room 130 the day after each presentation.

All faculty, staff and students of the School of Art and J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Science are encouraged to attend the presentations and receptions. Interested alumni, friends and local community members are also welcome.

Those who attend may submit comments and feedback to Lynda L. Coon, dean of the Honors College, at llcoon@uark.edu.

The dates for the candidates’ presentations and community receptions are:

• James Rolling: presentation from 3-4:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 27;
  reception from 2-3 p.m.  Wednesday, March 28.

• Elizabeth “Cassie” Mansfield: presentation from 2-3:15 p.m. Thursday, March 29; reception from 2-3 p.m. Friday, March 30.

• Andrew Schulz: presentation from 2-3:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 3; reception from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 4.

• Jack Risley: presentation from 2-3:15 p.m. Thursday, April 5; reception from 2:15-3:15 p.m. Friday, April 6.

Dates and times are subject to change. Please check the School of Art Director Search page for updates.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

Elizabeth “Cassie” Mansfield is senior program officer at the Getty Foundation, where she oversees initiatives in support of academic art history, identifies potential grantees in the international scholarly community, facilitates new project development and manages more than $4 million in active grants. Previously, she was vice president for scholarly programs for the National Humanities Center and held faculty appointments at New York University and Sewanee: The University of the South. Mansfield holds both a Doctor of Philosophy in history of art and architecture and a Master of Arts in fine arts from Harvard University, and bachelor degrees in art history and linguistics from the University of California, Irvine. More information about Mansfield is available on the School of Art Director Search page.

Jack Risley is chair of the art and art history at the University of Texas at Austin, where he oversees the department’s multiple art disciplines, which are home to 600 students, 50 full-time faculty and 25 staff members. He also holds the Cornelia and Meredith Long Chair, and has been an exhibiting artist for more than 30 years. Previously, he held faculty appointments at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, the Yale School of Art, New York University and The Cooper Union. Risley holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Art, and a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College. More information about Risley is available on the School of Art Director Search page.

James Rolling is chair and professor of art education at Syracuse University, a program dually situated in both the Department of Teaching and Leadership in the School of Education and the School of Art in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He has coordinated art education at the university in this role, and been recognized for his leadership, including his role as director of the Higher Education Division of the Board of Directors of the National Art Education Association. Previously, he held faculty appointments at Pennsylvania State University, the Teachers College at Columbia University and in New York K-12 education. Rolling holds both a Doctor of Education and a Master of Education in arts education from Columbia University, a Master of Fine Arts in experimental studios/studio research from Syracuse University, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Cooper Union. More information about Rolling is available on the School of Art Director Search page.

Andrew Schulz is associate dean for research in the College of Arts and Architecture at Pennsylvania State University, where he leads strategic planning and sets and implements the college’s strategic agenda for arts research and creative practice. He is responsible for research support services for external grant seeking, collaborative research initiatives, internal funding programs, technology transfer and industry partnerships, and compliance with research policies. Previously, he held faculty appointments at the University of Oregon, the University of Washington-Seattle and Seattle University. Schulz holds a both a Doctor of Philosophy and a Master of Arts in art history from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in art history from Dartmouth College. More information about Schulz is available on the School of Art Director Search page.

About the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with 19 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.