Just a week into her new position, Nancy Wright says she finds developments in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences exciting.

“The breadth of the disciplines is remarkable,” says Dr. Wright, who began a term as dean July 1. “They give students lots of opportunities.”

She cites the relocation of several programs to homes in Windsor’s downtown as an example of the exciting changes in her faculty.

“We will have new opportunities to build relationships with some of our community partners,” she says. “The new connections will strengthen our ability to draw on the knowledge out there in our city.”

Wright earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at York University before completing master’s and doctoral studies in philosophy at Yale University. Although her most recent academic appointments have been in Australia, Wright has also been a visiting professor at Western University and research fellow at the University of Victoria.

She says that moving back to Canada now is a “happy moment,” and that she has received a warm welcome: “This friendliness is part of the character of Windsor itself.”

Among the first tasks she has ahead is developing a strategic plan with the faculty, and says some recently-completed external reviews of programs provide insight into new strategic directions in teaching.

“I would like to see our faculty gain recognition for the accomplishments it has already made, and ensure that our outstanding programs get the national and international recognition they deserve,” Wright says.

To that end, she plans to build strong lines of communication between the diverse disciplines encompassed in the faculty.

“I really believe that most insights arise out of dialogue,” she says. “I hope to be able to create more opportunities for those dialogues to occur.”

Along with a new name and new dean, the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences formalized several appointments to its academic leadership on July 1.

• Associate deans: Roy Amore, Eleanor Maticka-Tyndale and Lionel Walsh
• School for Arts and Creative Innovation: Karen Engle, acting director
• Department of Communication, Media and Film: Valerie Scatamburlo-D’Annibale, head
• School of Dramatic Art: Tina Pugliese, director
• Department of English Language, Literature and Creative Writing: Karl Jirgens, acting head
• Department of History: Miriam Wright, head
• Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures: Mustapha Hamil, acting head
• Department of Philosophy: Marcello Guarini, head
• Department of Political Science: John Sutcliffe, head
• Department of Psychology: Gregory Chung-Yan, head
• School of Social Work: Jill Grant, acting director
• Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology: Janice Drakich, head
• Women’s and Labour Studies: Anne Forrest, director
• Humanities Research Group: Antonio Rossini, director