Photo courtesy of: Dr. PlassmannDr. Florenz Plassmann
Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Chaden Djalali has named Dr. Florenz Plassmann as the new dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University, effective July 15, 2019.
Dr. Plassmann will join the University from Binghamton University, where he has served as associate dean for Doctoral Studies and Faculty Development in the Harpur College of Arts & Sciences since 2018. He is also a professor in both the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science, and is director of the Ph.D. program in Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture.
“Dr. Plassmann comes to us with deeply relevant experience. He is a distinguished scholar and an accomplished administrator – this is a combination that will serve the college well,” Provost Djalali said. “I am pleased that the search committee helped to select such a promising leader. The College of Arts and Sciences plays a key role in advancing the Strategic Pathways of Ohio University.”
Prior to his current associate deanship, Dr. Plassmann served as associate dean for graduate studies and research in the Harpur College from 2015–2017; as faculty director in the Office of University-Wide Courses from 2014–2015; and as chair of the Economics Department from 2013–2015.
Dr. Plassmann holds a Ph.D. and a M.A. in economics from Virginia Tech. He held visiting resident scholar positions at the International Monetary Fund in 2004 and 2005.
In his new role, Dr. Plassmann will lead a diverse college whose general education and liberal arts curriculum is foundational to the instruction of the entire University. The College of Arts & Sciences provides the primary instruction for approximately one-third of the undergraduate majors on campus, as well as half of the undergraduate credit hours on the Athens campus, through its 19 academic departments. Ohio University is a high-activity research institution, and much of that scholarship and research activity originates in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The college’s faculty includes 425 faculty members, including 298 tenure-track faculty. In a typical year, the faculty produce 30 books in publication, more than 600 journal articles and more than 900 conference presentations.
Provost Djalali announced the search committee for Ohio University’s dean of the College of Arts & Sciences in October 2018 following former Dean Robert Frank’s resignation from the position in May 2018. Dr. Joseph Shields, vice president for research & creative activity and dean of the Graduate College, has served as interim dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.